Ebe  fHleesaoes  of 
Clbf  Bible 


©anbcrsr 
M  lB?ent 


*    OCT  10  1901      * 


Oivisi«  ). 

Section  .,1,1;'^  5  /o 

N©.«. U,A 


Z\)c  /iBessa^es  ot  tbe  Bible 

EDITED   BY 

Professor  Frank  K.  Sanders,  Ph.D.,  of  Yale  University,  and 
Professor  Charles  F.   Kent,  Ph.D.,  of  Yale  University. 

Messrs.  Charles  Scribner's  Sons  take  pleasure  in  announcing 
that  they  have  in  course  of  preparation  a  series  of  hand-books  which 
will  enable  every  reader  of  the  Bible  to  appreciate  and  to  obtain  a 
mastery  of  the  essential  facts  and  teachings  contained  in  it. 

This  series  is  not  a  substitute  for  the  Bible,  but  an  aid  to  the  rev- 
erent, appreciative,  and  enthusiastic  reading  of  the  Scriptures;  in 
fact  it  will  serve  the  purpose  of  an 

ORIGINAL  AND  POPULAR  COMMENTARY 
ON  THE  BIBLE. 
Technicalities  and  unsettled  questions  will  be,  as  far  as  possible, 
ignored.  Each  volume  will  be  prepared  by  a  leading  specialist  and 
will  contain  such  brief  introductions  as  serve  to  put  the  reader  into 
intelligent  relation  to  the  general  theme  treated.  The  editorial  re- 
arrangement of  the  order  of  the  Biblical  books  or  sections  will  repre- 
sent the  definite  results  of  sober  scholarship. 


I.  Ubc  /TOcssages  of  tbe  Earlier  propbets.    {Ready.) 

II.  Ube  /Messages  of  tbe  Xater  propbets.    {Ready.) 

III.  Ube  /iDessages  of  tbe  Xaw  ©ivers.    (/«  Preparatioti.) 

IV.  Ube  /Messages  of  tbe  propbetic  an^  prieetl?  iDisa 

torians.     {Ready.) 
V.     Ube  /IDessages  of  tbe  psalmtstg.     {In  Preparation.) 

VI.    Ube  /iDessages  of  tbe  Sages. 
VII.    Ube  ilDessages  of  tbe  Dramatic  poets. 

{In  Preparation.) 

VIII.    Ube  /IDessages  of  tbe  Bpocal^ptic  TlClriters. 
IX.    Ube  /Cessages  of  ^esus  accorfiing  to  tbe  Ssnops 

tiStS.     {Ready. ) 

X.    Ube  /IDessages  of  ^esus  accorMng  to  ^obn. 
XI.    Ubc  /IDessages  of  Paul.    {Ready.) 
XII.    Ube  /Messages  of  tbe  Hpostles.    {Ready.) 


Zhc  flPeggageg  of  tbe  JBible 

EDITED  BY 

Professor  Frank  K.  Sanders,  Ph.D. 

of  Yale  University 
AND 

Professor  Charles  F.  Kent,  Ph.D. 

of  Yale  University 
VOLUME   IV 


THE    MESSAGES    OF    THE    PROPHETIC    AND 
PRIESTLY   HISTORIANS 


Ul)c  /IPessageg  of  tbe  Bible 

THE  MESSAGES  OF  THE 

PROPHETIC   AND 

PRIESTLY  HISTORIANS 

THE  WRITINGS  OF  THE  HISTORIANS  OF  THE 
OLD  TESTAMENT,  ARRANGED  SO  AS  TO 
DISTINGUISH  THEIR  PRINCIPAL  SOURCES, 
AND    FREELY    RENDERED    IN    PARAPHRASE 


BY 

JOHN  Edgar  McFadyen 

M.A.  (Glas.),  B.A.  (Oxon.) 

Professor  of  Old  Testament  Literature  and  Exegesis 
in  Knox  College,  Toronto. 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 
1901 


Copyright,  1901,  bt 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


Published  September,  1901 


THE  CAXTON  PRESS 
NEW  VORK. 


no 

MY   FATHER 


PREFACE 

In  accordance  with  the  general  purpose  of  the  series  to 
which  it  belongs,  this  volume  on  the  "  Messages  of  the 
Prophetic  and  Priestly  Historians  "  aims  at  presenting  the 
essential,  that  is,  the  religious  messages  of  the  historical 
books  of  the  Old  Testament,  as  those  messages  are  reached 
and  interpreted  by  the  scholarship  of  to-day.  To  the  at- 
tainment of  this  aim,  some  preliminary  critical  discussion 
is  indispensable  ;  for,  on  the  ground  covered  by  these 
books,  arise  many  of  the  most  keenly  debated  problems  of 
the  Old  Testament — problems  too  numerous  and  grave  to 
be  even  adequately  stated,  far  less  disposed  of,  within  the 
limits  prescribed  by  the  conditions  of  the  series,  and  by 
the  restricted  space  at  my  disposal.  I  have  tried,  as  clear- 
ly and  briefly  as  I  could,  to  give  some  sketch  of  the  manner 
in  which  these  problems  are  dealt  with,  and  at  least  ap- 
proximate results  attained,  by  modern  scholarship.  But 
the  sketch  is  in  no  sense  a  plea  ;  it  is  simply  a  dispassion- 
ate presentation  of  the  facts,  and  I  have  sought  never  to 
go  beyond  inferences  which  the  facts  seemed  to  warrant. 
The  argument  for  the  positions  adopted  is  really  cumu- 
lative, and  is  strengthened  by  numerous  considerations 
which  there  was  no  opportunity  here  for  discussing.     In 


Preface 

the  Hexateuch,  there  is  almost  an  unanimous  consensus 
among  Old  Testament  scholars  with  regard  at  least  to  the 
main  results  of  the  discussion  ;  in  Ezra-Nehemiah,  that 
unanimity  has  not  yet  been  reached. 

One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  that  besets,  for  the  gen- 
eral reader,  the  scientific  study  of  the  Old  Testament  is 
the  absence  of  any  easily  accessible  criterion  to  distinguish 
the  original  sources  from  the  later  redactional  material. 
By  typographical  devices  an  attempt  is  here  made  to  over- 
come -this  difficulty,  the  original  sources  being  always 
printed  in  plain  type,  and  the  redactional  matter  in  italics, 
capitals,  small  or  bold-faced  type,  as  the  case  may  be.^ 
Many  of  the  difficulties  will  thus  be  found  to  vanish  of 
themselves.  All  that  is  printed  in  plain  type  may  be  used 
as  a  basis  for  the  study  of  the  history,  and  I  have  sought, 
where  possible,  to  make  it  read  continuously.  Brackets 
are  used  to  indicate  that  the  passage  enclosed  has  no  direct 
authority  in  the  original  text,  but  is  supplied  on  high 
warrant  for  the  sake  of  the  connection.  The  poetry  and 
the  legislation  interspersed  throughout  the  historical  books 
have  been,  with  hardly  any  exceptions,  omitted,  as  they 
are  to  be  dealt  with  in  other  volumes  of  this  series. 

The  task  of  paraphrase  was  not  the  least  difficult  of  the 
problems  which  this  volume  had  to  face.  To  retell  the 
inimitable  stories  of  the  Hexateuch  is  clearly  impossible, 
especially  under  the  conditions  of  a  paraphrase  which  was 

1  See  pp.  97,  loo,  248,  286,  and  320. 

viii 


Preface 

often  obliged  to  compress  a  whole  paragraph  into  a  word, 
and  a  chapter  into  a  line  or  two.  I  have  tried  so  to  tell 
the  stories  as  to  let  the  religious  truth  which  they  embody 
shine  through  them,  and  to  present  that  truth,  which  some- 
times seems  to  us  so  quaint  and  far  away,  in  a  form  intel- 
ligible to  modern  religious  experience. 

Sections  which  are  duplicated  (as  in  the  Hexateuch)  or 
repeated  from  other  books  (as  in  Chronicles)  are  para- 
phrased only  once.  The  disadvantage  occasioned  by  iso- 
lating the  first  four  books  of  the  Hexateuch  and  starting 
a  new  section  with  Deuteronomy,  seemed  to  be  more  than 
compensated  by  the  opportunity  thus  secured  of  discussing 
the  far-reaching  influence  of  Deuteronomy  on  the  subse- 
quent books  of  the  section. 

My  debts  are  many.  In  particular,  I  should  like  to 
acknowledge  my  special  obligations  to  Steuernagel's 
"  Einleitung  in  den  Hexateuch,"  Dillmann's  "  Commenta- 
ries on  the  Hexateuch,"  Bacon's  "Triple  Tradition  of  the 
Exodus,"  the  volumes  of  Moore  and  Smith  on  Judges  and 
Samuel  in  the  *'  International  Critical  Commentary,"  and 
Benzinger's  volume  on  Kings  in  the  "  Kurzer  Hand-Com- 
mentar  zum  Alten  Testament."  I  have  been  much  helped 
by  the  unfaiHng  and  generous  courtesy  of  both  the  editors 
of  the  series,  who  have  devoted  much  time  to  the  revision 
of  the  volume.  They  read  all  the  proof  through,  and  con- 
tributed many  valuable  suggestions.  I  also  desire  to  re- 
cord my  thanks  to  my  friend,  the  Rev.  Dr.  George  Bruce, 
ix 


Preface 

of  Toronto,  for  his  kindness  in  reading  the  first  half  of  the 
proof,  and  for  many  helpful  comments.  Owing  to  my 
absence  in  Germany,  I  have  not  been  able  to  exercise  full 
control  of  the  final  revision,  and  crave  indulgence  lor  any 
slips  that  may  be  due  to  this  cause. 

The  problems  raised  by  the  historical  books  of  the  Old 
Testament  are  of  exceptional  interest  and  difficulty.  But 
it  must  never  be  forgotten  that  criticism  is  only  a  means 
to  an  end.  It  fails,  if  it  does  not  lead  us  to  a  more  rever- 
ent appreciation  of  the  ways  of  God  with  man.  The  Old 
Testament  is  more  than  a  field  for  the  exercise  of  critical 
acumen.  It  is  a  word  of  life  ;  and  our  deepest  concern  is 
with  the  life  which  it  reflects  and  inspires,  not  with  the 
literary  problems  which  it  involves.  The  large  outlook  of 
its  historians  upon  the  progress  of  the  centuries  ;  thehr 
splendid  interpretation  of  history  ;  their  triumphant  faith 
in  Israel's  mission  and  destiny ;  their  overwhelming  con- 
sciousness of  God  as  the  Lord  of  all,  inspiring  history  with 
a  sense  of  purpose,  guiding  it  toward  a  divine  event,  bend- 
ing to  the  consummation  of  his  purpose  the  resources  of 
the  world  which  he  created  and  controls,  calling  and  equip- 
ping men  from  generation  to  generation  to  advance  that 
purpose  and  to  interpret  his  will,  following  his  people  in 
love  through  all  their  wilful  way,  seeking,  by  a  discipline 
which  was  often  stern  but  always  gracious,  to  bring  them 
into  that  fellowship  with  himself  for  which  man  was  origi- 
nally destined  :  these  are  the  things  that  are  precious  to  the 

X 


Preface 

Christian  church  ;  and  criticism  is  welcome  only  in  so  far 
as  it  sets  those  things  in  a  clearer  light  and  brings  them 
home  to  our  hearts  with  a  mightier  conviction.  The 
problems  with  which  criticism  deals  are  real  ;  their  burden 
is  felt  not  only  by  the  professional  critic,  but  by  everyone 
who  reads  his  Old  Testament  with  intelligence  and  im- 
agination. But  they  do  not  touch  the  heart  of  the  matter. 
Deeper  than  all  with  which  criticism  can  directly  deal  is 
the  audible  pulsing  of  a  life  at  once  human  and  divine,  a 
life  which  grew  richer  and  deeper  as  the  centuries  rolled 
from  the  exodus  to  the  exile.  The  goal  of  all  true  criticism 
is  to  understand  that  life  more  adequately  and  sympatheti- 
cally. It  is  in  this  spirit  that  the  present  volume  is  written, 
and  with  the  conviction  that  no  believing  man  can  watch 
the  purpose  of  God  unfolding  in  Old  Testament  history 
without  having  his  own  faith  quickened  and  rekindled. 

John  E.  McFadyen. 
EscHWEGE,  Germany, 
August,  1 90 1. 


XI 


CONTENTS 

THE  PROPHETIC   HISTORIANS 

PAGE 

I.  Origins  of  Hebrew  Literature 3-5 

II.  The    Necessity,  Nature,  and  Value  of  Hexa- 
teuchal  Analysis S-20 

III.  Date  and  Place  of  Origin  of  the  Prophetic 
Documents 21-26 

IV.  The  Progress  of  the  Divine  Purpose  in  the 
Book  of  Genesis       27-32 

V.  The  World  OF  Sin  (Gen.  2:4"  to  11:30)    .     .    .     32-38 

1.  Man's  Place  in  the  Universe  and  His  Choice  of 
Sin  (Gen.  2  :  4M0  4  :  24) 32-35 

2.  Sin  Abounding  (Gen.  5  :  29  ;  6  to  11)   .     .    .     .     35-38 
VI.  The  Fathers  of  the  Hebrew  People    .     .     .     38-52 

1.  The  Discipline  of  Abraham  (Gen.  12  : 1  to  25  :  6)    38-42 

(i)  The  Call  of  Abraham  and  the  Divine  Care  of 
Him  (Gen.  12,  13) 38-39 

(2)  The  Strain  and  the  Reward  of  Faith  (Gen. 
15  : 1  to  25  :  6) 39-42 

2.  The  Discipline  of  Isaac  (Gen.  25 :  11  to  26:  33)         43 

3.  The  Discipline  of  Jacob  (Gen.  27  :  I  to  35  :  22)  .     43-48 

(i)  Banished  by  Sin  (Gen.  27  :  i  to  28  :  22)      .     43-44 

(2)  Jacob's  Fortunes  in  the  Strange  Land  (Gen. 

29 :  I  to  31 :  55) 44-46 

(3)  In  the  Promised  Land  (Gen.  32  :  i  to  35  :  22)  46-48 

4.  The  Discipline  of  Joseph  (Gen.  37 :  2  to  50 :  26)     48-52 

(1)  His  Sorrows  (Gen.  37:2  to  40:  23)    .     .     .     48-49 

(2)  Hi?  Exaltation  (Gen.  41  to  50)     ,     .     .     .     49-52 

xiii 


Contents 

PAGE 

VII.  The    Prophetic    Narrative    of    Exodus    i    to 

Numbers  32 52-59 

VIII.  The  Birth  of  the  Nation  (Exod.  i  to  Num.  32)  59-76 

1.  Redemption  from  the  Bondage  of  Egypt  (Exod. 
1:6  to  15:21) 59-65 

(i)  The  Preparation  (Exod,  i :  6  to  4 :  31)  .     .  59-61 

(2)  The  Struggle  (Exod.  5  :  i  to  12  :  39)     .     .  61-64 

(3)  The  Dehverance  (Exod.  13  :  17  to  15  :  21)  64-65 

2.  The  Covenant  (Exod.  15  :  22  to  34  :  9)       .     .     .  65-69 

(i)  The  March  to  Sinai  (Exod.  15  :  22  to  17:  16)      65 

(2)  The  Covenant  at  Sinai  (Exod.   19  :  2'>  to  24  : 

16) 65-67 

(3)  The  Breach  and  Restoration  (Exod.  32 :  i  to 
34:9) 67-69 

3.  From  Sinai  to  Moab  (Num.  10  :  29  to  33  :  42)    .     69-76 

(i)  Incidents  of  the  Wandering  (Num.  10:  29  to 

21 :  35) 69-74 

(2)  Prophecy,  Tragedy  and  Triumph  (Num.  22 

to  32) 74-76 

IX.  Ruling  Ideas  of  the  Prophetic  History  .     .    76-83 

THE   PROPHETICO-PRIESTLY   HISTORIANS 
I.  Deuteronomy  and  Its  Influence      ....       87-59 

II.  The  Last  Words  and  Death  of  Moses  (Deu- 
teronomy)          101-106 

1.  Moses's  Address  to  the  People  (Dt.   1  :  i  to 

4:40) 101-104 

(i)  Historical  Retrospect  (Dt.  i  to  3)  .     .     .  101-103 

(2)  Exhortation  (Dt.  4  : 1-40) 103-104 

2.  Renewed  Exhortation  (Dt.  27:5-13;  29:1  to 
32:47) 104-105 

3.  The  Death  of  Moses  (Dt.  34) 106 

xiv 


Contents 


PAGE 

III.  Introduction  to  the  Book  of  Joshua      .    .    106-110 

IV.  The  Conquest  and  Settlement  (Joshua)  .     .    110-121 

1.  The  Conquest  of  Canaan  (Josh,  i  to  12)    .     .    110-117 

2.  The  Settlement  of  Canaan  (Josh.  13  to  22)     .    117-119 

3.  The  Last  Words  and  Death  of  Joshua  (Josh. 

23,  24) 119-121 

V.  Structure  and   Contents  of  the   Book  of 

Judges 121-126 

VI.  Between  the  Conquest  and  the  Monarchy 

(Judges) 126-138 

1.  Introduction  (Judg.  I :  I  to  2:5) 126 

2.  The   History  of  Israel  in  the   Days  of  the 
Judges  (Judg.  2  :  6  to  16  :  31) 126-135 

(i)  The  Inner  Significance  of  the  History 

(Judg.  2  :  6  to  3  :  6) 126-127 

(2)  The  Stories  of  the  Judges  (Judg.  3  : 7  to 

16:31) 127-135 

(«)    Othniel  (3  :  7-1 1) 

(^)    Ehud  (3:12-30) 

(c)     Deborah  and  Barak  (4,  5) 

{d)  Gideon  (6  to  8) 

{e)    Abimelech  (9) 

\f)  Jepthah  (10 :  17  to  12  :  7) 

\g)  Samson  (13  to  16) 

3.  Other  Echoes  from  the  Days  of  the  Judges 
(Judg.  17  to  21) 136-138 

(i)  Origin  of  the  Sanctuary  at  Dan  (Judg. 

17.  18) 136-137 

(2)  Vengeance  of  Israel  on  Benjamin  for  the 

Outrage  at  Gibeah  (Judg.  19  to  21)     .     .    137-138 

VII.  Composition  and  Contents  of  the  Books  of 

Samuel 139-143 

XV 


Contejits 

PAGE 

VIII.  The  Rise  of  the  Monarchy  (Samuel)    .     .     .  143-176 

1.  Samuel  (i  S.  i  to  15) 143-154 

(i)  Samuel  and  the  War  with  the  Philistines 

(I  S   I  to  7) 143-147 

(a)  Samuel's  Birth  and  Call  (i :  i  to  4  :  i») 
\b)  War  with  the  Philistines  (4  :  il>  to  7:  17) 

(2)  Israel's  First  King  (i  S.  8  to  15)    .     .     .  147-154 

2.  Saul  and  David  (i  S.  16  to  2  S.  i)      .     .     .     .  154-162 

3.  King  David  (2  S.  2  to  i  K.  2)   .               ...  162-176 

(1)  In  Hebron  (2  S.  2  to  4) 162-164 

(2)  In  Jerusalem  (2  S.  5  to  i  K.  2)       .     .     .  164-176 

(rt)  Years  of  Prosperity  (2  S,  5  to  10) 

^b)  The  Trail  of  David's  Sin  (2  S.  11  to  i  K.  2) 

IX.  The  Sources  and  Character  of  the  Books 

OF  Kings 177-185 

X.  The  Reign  of  Solomon  (1  Kings  3-11)    .     .     .  185-191 

1.  His  Wisdom  and  His  Kingdom  (i  K.  3,  4) ,     .  185-186 

2.  Solomon's  Buildings  (i  K.  5  to  9)      .     .     .     .  186-190 

3.  Solomon's  Glory  and  Decline  (i  K.  10,  11)  .     .  190-191 

XI.  History  of  the  Monarchy  to  the  Fall  of 
THE  Northern  Kingdom  (i  Kings  12  to  2  Kings 

17) 192-235 

1.  Jeroboam  I.,  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  12:1  to 

14  :  20) 192-194 

2.  Rehoboam,  King  of  Judah  (i  K.  14  :  21-31)  .  194 

3.  Abijah,  King  of  Judah  (i  K.  15:1-8)    .     .     .  195 

4.  Asa,  King  of  Judah  (i  K.  15:9-24)  ....  195 

5.  Nadab,  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  15:  25-32)     .     .  195-196 

6.  Baasha,  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  15  •.■^2)  ^^  16:7)  196 


7.  Elah,  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  16  :  8-14)      . 

8.  Zimri,  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  16:  15-20)  . 

9.  Omri,  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  16:21-28)  .     , 
10.  Ahab,  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  16  :  29  to  22  :  40) 

xvi 


196 

196 

196-197 

197 


Contents 

PAGE 

11.  The  Stories  regarding  Elijah  and  Elisha  .     .    198-201 

12.  Tales  of  Elijah  (i  K.  17  to  2  K.  i)    .     .     .     .    201-204 
IQ    The  Wars  and  Death  of  Ahab  (i  K.  20  ;  22  : 

1-40) 204-206 

14.  Ahaziah,  King  of  Israel   (i  K.  22  :  51  to  2  K. 

1:18) 206 

15.  Elisha  as  Elijah's  Successor  (2  K.  2  :  1-25)  .    206-207 

16.  Elisha's  Activity  from  the  Reign  of  Joram, 
King  of  Israel,  to  that  of  Joash  (2  K.  3  :  i  to 

8  :  15  ;  13  :  14-21) 207-212 

17.  Jehoshaphat,  King  of  Judah  (i  K.  22  :  41-50)  212 
.18,  Jehoram,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  8  :  16-24)  .     .  213 

19.  Ahaziah,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  8  :  25-27)    .     .  213 

20.  Jehu,  King  of  Israel  (2  K.  9,  10)       ....    213-215 
21    Athaliah,  Queen  of  Judah;    the  Revolution 

of  Jehoiada  (2  K.  II) 215-216 

22.  Joash,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  12) 216-217 

23.  Jehoahaz,  King  of  Israel  {2  K.  13:  1-9,  22)  .  217 

24.  Joash,  King  of  Israel  (2  K.  13:  10-13,  23-25).  217-218 

25.  Amaziah,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  14:1-22)   .     .  218-219 

26.  Jeroboam    II.,    King    of    Israel    (2   K.    14: 

23-29) 2^9 

27.  Azariah,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  15  :  i-?)-      •     •    219-220 

28.  Zechariah,  King  of  Israel  (2  K.  15  :  8-12)       .  220 
29. 
30- 
31- 
32. 


221 


Shallum,  King  of  Israel  (2  K.  15  :  13-15)  •     •  220 

Menahem,  King  of  Israel  (2  K.  15  :  16-22)     .  220 

Pekahiah,  King  of  Israel  (2  K.  15  :  23-26)      .  221 
Pekah,    King    of    Israel    (2   K.  15  :  27,   28, 

30>  31)  

2,2>.  Jotham,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  15  :  32-38)    .     .  221 

34.  Ahaz,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  16) 221-222 

35.  Hosea,   King  of  Israel,  and  the  Fall  of  the 
Northern  Kingdom  (2  K.  17  : 1-6  ;  18 :  9-12)  .  223 

xvii 


Contents 

PAGB 

36.  Three   Lessons   of  the   Fall    (2  K.  17:7-23, 
34*'-4o) 223-224 

37.  The  Later  History  of  Samaria  (2  K.  17 :  24- 

34",  41) 224 

XIL  To  THE  Captivity  of  Judah  {2  Kings  18  to  25)   224-235 

1.  The  Events  of  Hezekiah's  Reign  (2  K.  18  to 

20) 224-228 

2.  Manasseh,  King  of  Judah  (2  K,  21 : 1-18)  .     .  229 

3.  Amon,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  21:  19-26)       ,     .  229 

4.  Josiah,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  22  :  i  to  23  :  30)   230-232 

5.  Jehoahaz,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  23  :  31-34)     .  232 

6.  Jehoiakim,  King   of  Judah    (2   K.  23:35  to 

24:7) 232-233 

7.  Jehoiachin,  King  of  Judah  {2  K.  24  :  8-16)     .  233 

8.  Zedekiah,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  24  :  17  to  25  : 

21) 233-234 

9.  Gedaliah,  Governor  of  Judah  (2  K,  25  :  22- 

26) 234 

10.  Jehoiachin's  Elevation  (2  K.  25 :  27-30)     .     .  235 

THE   PRIESTLY   HISTORIANS 
I.  The    Priestly    Narrative   of    the    Hexa- 

TEUCH 239-247 

II.  The  Origin  of  the  Theocracy  (Genesis  to 

Joshua) 249-270 

1.  History  before  Moses  (Genesis) 249-255 

2.  Moses  (Exodus  to  Deuteronomy)      ....    255-268 

(i)  The  Deliverance  (Exod.  i  to  19)   .     .     .    255-258 

(2)  Sinai  with  the  Revelation  of  Things  Di- 
vine (Exod.  24  :  15  to  Num.  9  :  14)       .     .    259-262 

(3)  The  Fortunes  of  the  Way  (Num.  9:  15 

to  Deut.  34  :  9) 263-268 

3.  Settlement  in  the  Land  of  Promise  (Joshua)  .   268-270 

xviii 


Contejits 

PAGE 

III.  The  Sources,  Aims,  and  Ideals  of  the  Book 

OF  Chronicles 270-285 

IV.  The    History   of   Judah    to  the  Captivity 
(Chronicles) 287-313 

1.  Preparation  for  the  History  of  the  Kingdom 

of  Judah  (I  Chr.  I  to  10) 287-289 

2.  The  History  of  the  Kingdom  of  Judah  (i  Chr. 

II  to  2  Chr.  36)  . 289-313 

(i)  David  (i  Chr..  II  to  29) 289-294 

(2)  Solomon  (2  Chr.  i  to  9) 294-297 

(3)  From  the  Disruption  to  the  Captivity  (2 

Chr.  10  to  36) 297-313 

(«)    The   Division  of  the  Kingdom  (2  Chr. 
10:  I  to  II :  4) 

(b)  Rehoboam  (2  Chr.  11 :  5  to  12  :  16) 

(c)  Abijah  (2  Chr.  13) 

(d)  Asa  (2  Chr.  14  to  16) 

\e)  Jehoshaphat  (2  Chr.  17  to  20) 

(_/)  Jehoram  (2  Chr.  21) 

(_g)  Ahaziah  (2  CJir.  22  ;  1-9) 

(A)  Athaliah  (2  Chr.  22  :  10  to  23  :  21) 

(/)  Joash  (2  Chr.  24) 

{/')  Amaziah  (2  Chr.  25) 

{k)  Uzziah  (2  Chr.  26) 

(/)  Jotham  (2  Chr.  27) 

\m)  Ahaz  (2  Chr.  28) 

(«)  Hezekiah  (2  Chr.  29  to  32) 

(^)  Manasseh  (2  Chr.  33:  1-20) 

(;>)  Amon  (2  Chr.  33  :  21-25) 

\q)  Josiah  (2  Chr.  34,  35) 

{r)  Jehoahaz  (2  Chr.  36:  1-4) 

(j)  Jehoiakim  (2  Chr.  36:5-8) 

\t)  Jehoiachin  (2  Chr.  36:  9,  10) 

(w)  Zedekiah  (2  Chr.  36:  11-21) 

(z/)  The  Decree  of  Cyrus  (2  Chr.  36  :  22,  23) 

V.  Introduction  to  Ezra-Nehemiah     ....  314-318 

VI.  The  Restoration  (Ezra  and  Nehemiah)  .    .  321-334 

1.  The  Return  (Ezra  i  to  6) 321-323 

2.  The  Worl<  of  Nehemiah  (Neh.  i  to  7 ;  i  r  to  13)  323-329 

3.  The  Work  of  Ezra  (Ezra  7  to  10  ;  Neh.  8  to  10)  329-334 

xix 


Contents 

PAGE 

VII.  The  Date  and  Character  of  the  Book  of 

Ruth 335-336 

VIII.  A  Plea  for  the  Non-Israelite  (Ruth)      .    .  336-338 

IX.  The  Character  and  Purpose  of  the  Book 

OF  Esther 338-341 

X.  Israel's  Triumph  over  Its  Foes  (Esther)      .  341-345 

APPENDIX 
I.  Books  of  Reference 349-352 

II.  Passages  in  the  Books  of  Samuel  and  Kings 

Omitted  by  the  Chronicler 353-355 

INDEX  OF  BIBLICAL  PASSAGES 357-362 


XX 


THE  PROPHETIC  HISTORIANS 


THE   PROPHETIC   HISTORIANS 


ORIGINS    OF    HEBREW    LITERATURE 

Hebrew  literature  begins  with  poetry.  Behind  the  Poetry 
period  of  formal  literary  effort  lies  the  period  of  the  ballad,  ^°™^^ 
which  celebrates  in  vigorous  and  memorable  form  the 
rugged  experiences  of  a  people  that  had  often  to  do  with 
war.  The  outstanding  facts  of  early  times  leave  their 
mark  in  song  as  well  as  in  tradition :  and  both  together 
form  the  material  for  the  historian  of  those  times.  The 
great  deliverance  of  the  Red  Sea  was  sung  in  at  least 
some  of  the  verses  which  now  form  the  Song  of  Moses 
(Ex.  1 5).  The  victory  of  Joshua  in  a  desperate  crisis  over 
his  confederated  foes  in  the  south  (Josh.  lo:  12,  13),  and 
in  a  later  day  the  triumph  of  Deborah  and  Barak  over  the 
deadly  Canaanite  chariots  in  the  north  (Jud.  5)  were  com- 
mitted to  posterity  in  stirring  song.  Such  crises  as  these 
ensured  their  own  immortality. 

It  was  natural,  therefore,  that  one  of  Israel's  earliest  War  ballads 
books  should  be  entitled  the  Book  of  the  Wars  of  Jehovah 
(Num.  21  :  14).     Jehovah,  it  was,  who  led  his  people  to 
3 


Introduction  The  Messages  of 

victory.  A  snatch  of  old  poetry  (Num.  lo :  35,  36)  shows 
us  Jehovah  going  before  his  people  to  battle,  and  return- 
ing after  the  fray  to  rest  among  them.  Another  early 
book  from  which  two  and  perhaps  three  ^  quotations  occur 
is  the  Book  of  Jashar,  the  Upright — we  might  almost  say 
the  Brave,  in  the  old  sense  of  that  word — which  may  have 
been  devoted  to  Israel's  heroes.  It  sang  of  Joshua  (Josh. 
10  :  13)  and  contained  David's  elegy  over  Saul  and  Jona- 
than (2  S.  I  :  17-27).  How  these  sources  were  used  by  the 
historian,  we  see  to  some  extent  by  comparing  the  prose 
story  of  Judges  4  with  the  very  old  poem  in  Judges  5  ;  and 
the  danger  to  which  they  were  exposed  at  the  hands 
of  later  interpretation  is  suggested  by  comparing  Joshua 
10  :  13^,  14  with  the  original  words  of  the  poem.  Most  of 
the  poetry  that  is  certainly  early  shows  how  fierce  that  old 
life  was  :  as  Lamech's  song  of  vengeance  (Gen.  4  :  23, 
24)  and  Samson's  song  of  triumph  at  Lehi  (Jud.  15  :  16). 
But  there  were  tender  strains,  too — voices  of  peace  and 
harmony — such  as  the  graceful  Song  of  the  Well  (Num. 
21  :  17,  18). 
Formal  liter-  Literature  demands  opportunity,  and  that  opportunity 
pSsfbiTbt-^  did  not  come  till  the  consolidation  of  the  monarchy  under 
fore  David  David  and  Solomon.  After  that,  history  becomes  at  least 
possible.     There  is  a  keen  national  consciousness  ;  and 

»  A  probable  emendation  of  the  LXX  of  i  K.  8  :  13  suggests  that  the 
words  with  which  Solomon  dedicated  the  Temple  occurred  in  it.     (i  K.  8  : 

13,   13.) 

4 


the  Historians  Introduction 


there  are  materials  in  ancient  songs  and  vivid  traditions, 
associated  in  many  cases  with  particular  shrines.  Some- 
where between  that  time  and  the  literary  prophets  we  are 
safe  in  looking  for  the  prophetic  histories.  But  precisely 
where  and  how  to  look,  it  is  the  function  of  criticism  to 
discover. 


II 

THE    NECESSITY,    NATURE,    AND    VALUE    OF    HEXA- 
TEUCHAL     ANALYSIS 

The  Pentateuch  is  a  unity,  traditionally  associated  with  The  Hexa- 
the  name  of  Moses.  But  while  the  death  of  Moses  at  the  JJSty  ^^  * 
close  of  Deuteronomy  fittingly  concludes  the  story  of  his 
life  and  work  with  which  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the 
Pentateuch  is  occupied,  it  is  not  an  adequate  sequel  to  the 
promises  made  and  the  hopes  raised  by  the  earlier  parts 
of  the  Pentateuch.  There  the  land  of  Canaan  was  again 
and  again  promised  to  the  fathers ,  in  Numbers  and  Deu- 
teronomy that  promise  is  only  partially  fulfilled  by  the  ac- 
quisition of  the  territory  east  of  the  Jordan.  The  book  of 
Joshua,  which  deals  among  other  things  with  the  cam- 
paigns and  the  ultimate  settlement  in  the  west,  is  the 
necessary  complement  to  the  story  of  the  Pentateuch. 
Together  they  make  up  one   theme.     When  to  this  is 

5 


Introduction  The  Messages  of 

added  the  fact  that  the  literary  features  which  characterize 

the  Pentateuch  reappear  in  the  Book  of  Joshua,  it  will  be 

seen  that  we  are  justified  in  regarding  as  our  unity  not 

the  Pentateuch  but  the  Hexateuch,  that  is,  the  first  six 

books  of  the  Old  Testament. 

Not  the  But  what  kind  of  unity  is  it  ?     Is  it  that  of  an  author  or 

autSfo^ship;  ^^at  of  a  Compiler  and  redactor  ?     If  there  exist  within  the 

for  there  are  compass  of  the  work.  Still  morc  if  there  exist  side  by  side 

many  inco-  ^  _  ,  ^  ■' 

herencies  two  mutually  exclusivc  vcrsious  of  the  same  incident,  then 
by  the  constitution  of  the  human  mind,  unity  of  author- 
ship is  excluded.  What,  then,  are  the  facts  ?  It  will  be 
instructive  to  examine  one  or  two  chapters  on  the  assump- 
tion of  their  unity  and  see  whether  they  present  a  coherent 
picture  or  not.  Take  for  example  Exodus  32.  Here  is 
a  really  dramatic  incident — an  apostasy  and  an  interces- 
sion. So  much  is  clear ;  but  the  detail  is  not  only  ob- 
scure— it  is  conflicting.  In  verse  14  the  apostate  people 
are  forgiven  by  their  God.  In  verses  19  and  20  they  are 
punished  by  Moses.  In  verses  25  to  29,  three  thousand 
of  them  are  slain  by  the  tribe  of  Levi  at  the  command  of 
Moses  in  execution  of  the  express  command  of  God,  who 
had  pardoned  them  but  a  few  verses  before.  Nay,  in 
verse  35  God  actually  punishes  them  himself,  after  having 
in  verse  34  suspended  the  punishment  for  the  second 
time.  Nor  is  that  all.  Is  it  not  at  least  strange  that 
Aaron,  the  head  of  the  priestly  tribe,  should  abet  the 
idolatry  which  is  so  severely  punished  by  the  swords  of 
6 


the  Historians  Introduction 


that  tribe  ?  Corruptio  optimi  pessima.  Aaron  should 
have  been  the  first  to  fall. 

Or  again,  take  Numbers  i6,  which  deals  with  what  is 
usually  called  the  rebellion  of  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram. 
According  to  verses  8-10  the  rebels  are  Levites,  and  their 
crime  is  that,  not  content  with  the  subordinate  service  of 
the  sanctuary,  they  "  seek  the  priesthood  also."  Accord- 
ing to  verse  3  (cf.  27  :  3)  the  rebels,  headed  by  Korah, 
number  others  in  their  ranks  besides  Levites,  and  their 
claim  is  that  the  whole  congregation  is  holy,  with  the  im- 
plication that  the  tribe  of  Levi  does  not  possess  exclusive 
sanctity.  Again,  according  to  verses  13,  14,  they  charge 
Moses  with  exercising  undue  authority  and  disappointing 
the  hopes  which  he  had  raised  when  he  led  them  out  of 
Egypt.  It  is  surely  no  accident  that  often,  though  not 
always,  Dathan  and  Abiram  are  mentioned  by  themselves 
(w.  12,  25  ;  cf.  Dt.  II  :  6)  and  Korah  by  himself  (vv.  5,  6, 
16,  19).  Again,  according  to  verses  31  to  34,  the  earth 
opened  her  mouth  and  swallowed  up  the  rebels,  them  and 
theirs.  Yet,  in  spite  of  that,  "  fire  came  forth  from  Jeho- 
vah and  consumed  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  men  that 
offered  incense  "  (v.  35) — not  another  body,  but  the  same, 
on  the  assumption  of  the  unity  of  the  chapter  (cf .  w.  2,  17). 
Still  later,  and  still  more  remarkable,  we  are  expressly  told 
that  '•  the  children  of  Korah  died  not "  (26  :  11). 

Neither  of  the  chapters  discussed  can  claim  to  give  a 
coherent  account  of  the  event  they  describe.  Often  with- 
7 


Introduction 


TJie  Messages  of 


Incoheren- 
cies  even  in 
adjacent 
verses 


Contradic. 
tions 


in  the  compass  of  even  two  or  three  verses  are  to  be  found 
statements  irreconcilable  with  one  another.  For  example  in 
Numbers  13  :  21  the  spies  go  from  the  southern  wilderness 
to  the  extreme  north  of  Palestine  ;  in  the  very  next  verse, 
they  only  go  as  far  as  Hebron  in  the  south  of  Judah — 
much  the  more  probable  representation,  considering  that 
the  country  to  be  spied  was  hostile.  Again,  according 
to  Genesis  35  :  19,  Benjamin  was  born  near  Bethlehem; 
seven  verses  later,  we  are  told  that  all  Jacob's  children, 
including  Benjamin  (v.  24),  were  born  in  Paddan-aram. 
Again,  in  Genesis  6  :  19,  two  animals  of  every  sort  are  to 
be  taken  into  the  ark ;  in  Genesis  7:2a  distinction  is 
made  between  clean  and  unclean — the  former  to  enter  in 
groups  of  seven  pairs,  the  latter  in  single  pairs. 

The  illustrations  have  been  purposely  selected  to  show 
that  contradictions  may  be  found  within  the  same  chap- 
ter, and  even  within  the  compass  of  a  verse  or  two.  But 
where,  by  reason  of  their  separation,  such  contradictions  are 
not  so  obvious,  they  are  none  the  less  real.  Perhaps  the 
most  conspicuous  is  in  the  account  of  the  tabernacle.  In 
Exodus  33  :  7,  its  place  is  outside  the  camp,  and  it  is 
guarded  by  Joshua  (v.  11)  ;  in  Numbers  it  is  in  the  centre 
of  the  foursquare  encampment,  and  in  the  charge  of  Le- 
vites.  Equally  perplexing  on  the  assumption  of  the  unity 
is  the  deliberate  and  very  important  statement  of  Exodus 
6  :  3  that  God  was  not  known  to  Abraham  by  his  name 
Jehovah,  in  the  face  of  the  earlier  statement  in  Genesis 


the  Hist07'ians  Introduction 


15:7,  where  he  appeared  to  Abraham  and  said,  "  I  am 
Jehovah  that  brought  thee  out  of  Ur."  Sometimes  the  con- 
tradictions are  not  only  implicit  as  here,  but  expressed  in 
so  many  terms.  For  example  in  Numbers  20  :  14-21  the 
Edomites  refuse  to  allow  Israel  to  pass  through  their 
country ;  in  Deuteronomy  2:1-7  they  consent.  In  Exodus 
18,  tribunals  to  relieve  Moses  of  part  of  his  judicial  func- 
tions are  appointed  on  Jethro's  initiative  ;  in  Deuteronomy 
I  :  9-18  the  proposal  comes  from  Moses  himself.  Other 
contradictions,  though  less  important,  are  not  less  inter- 
esting and  significant.  In  Genesis  43  :  29  and  44  :  20 
Benjamin  is  a  youth  ;  very  soon  afterward  he  is  the  father 
of  ten  sons  (46  :  21).  In  Genesis  46  :  9  Reuben  has  four 
sons ;  very  shortly  before  he  has  only  two  (42  :  37).  In 
the  story  of  the  creation,  according  to  Genesis  i,  plants 
and  animals  are  made  before  man  ;  in  chapter  2,  man  is 
made  before  them. 

Often,  too,  where  there  are  no  inherent  contradictions,  Obscurities 
there  is  an  obscurity  and  confusion  which  it  is  not  possible 
to  reconcile  with  unity  of  authorship.  The  story  of  Joseph, 
which  has  the  unity  of  a  great  career  behind  it,  is  well 
worthy  of  study,  with  a  view  to  ascertaining  whether  it  can 
be  an  original  literary  unity.  One  who  does  not  know 
the  simple  solution  that  criticism  offers  by  assuming  the 
presence  of  two  different  sources  in  the  story  will  find  it 
hard  to  understand  the  situation  in  Genesis  37  :  18-28.  It 
is  full  of  movement  and  color.  Here  if  anywhere  all 
9 


Introduction  The  Messages  of 

should  be  clear.  The  artist  has  a  style  that  is  bold  and 
picturesque.  Yet  the  detail  is  surprising.  Why  do  the 
brethren  not  sell  Joseph  as  they  propose  (v.  27)  ?  In 
point  of  fact,  they  do  ;  according  to  verse  28''  they,  that 
is,  the  brethren,  not  the  Midianites,  sold  Joseph ;  but  the 
verse,  as  it  stands,  suggests  that  it  is  by  Midianites  that 
he  is  sold.  The  truth  is  that,  in  one  version — that  in 
which  Judah  is  prominent — Joseph  is  sold  on  Judah's  pro- 
posal to  the  Ishmaelites  who  take  him  to  Egypt  {39  :  i)  ; 
in  the  other  version,  which  gives  the  prominence  to  Reu- 
ben, he  is  left  in  a  well  where  he  is  found  by  Midianites 
and  taken  to  Egypt  (37  :  28).  Reuben's  horror  at  the 
sight  of  the  empty  well  is  as  intelligible  on  this  view  as  it 
is  surprising  on  the  theory  that  the  story  is  all  from  one 
hand.  This  discovery  furnishes  the  key  to  further  dis- 
crepancies, such  as  the  representation  of  43  :2i,  where  the 
brothers  discover  the  money  in  their  sacks  at  the  first  inn, 
with  that  of  42  :  35,  where  the  discovery  is  not  made  till 
they  reach  home. 
Chronolog-  Discrepancies  so  numerous  and  sometimes  so  serious 
as  to  amount  to  contradictions  are  inconsistent  with  unity 
of  authorship.  This  conclusion  is  also  supported  by  the 
chronological  notices,  which  are  often  as  surprising  in  their 
implications  as  they  are  remarkable  in  their  precision. 
Sarah,  for  example,  who  is  ten  years  younger  than  Abra- 
ham (Gen.  17  :  17),  must  have  been  sixty-five  or  even 
older  when  her  charms  captivated  Pharaoh  (12  :  4,  10-20). 
10 


ical  difficul 
ties 


the  Historians  Introduction 


Twenty-five  years  afterward  she  has  the  same  fascination 
for  Abimelech  (20).  When  Hagar  leaves  Abraham's 
household — as  the  story  is  told  in  Genesis  21 — Ishmael  is 
a  little  child  whom  she  can  carry  on  her  shoulder  (21:  14, 
LXX) ;  but  according  to  the  chronology  he  should  be 
almost  a  man  by  this  time,  as  his  father  is  now  over  a 
hundred  (17  :  17,  24)  and  he  was  eighty-six  at  Ishmael's 
birth  (16  :  16). 

Further,  against  the  view  that  the  Hexateuch  is  an  Duplicates 
original  literary  unit  is  the  presence  of  two  and  some- 
times more  versions  of  the  same  story.  The  origin  of 
the  name  Beersheba  is  twice  explained  ;  once  in  connec- 
tion with  a  treaty  between  Abraham  and  Abimelech  (Gen. 
21  :  31)  and  once  in  connection  with  a  precisely  similar 
treaty  between  Isaac  and  Abimelech  (26:33),  having  a 
precisely  similar  origin  in  the  conspicuous  prosperity 
of  the  patriarch  which  makes  his  friendship  worth  having. 
This  duplication  is  particularly  common  in  etymologies. 
Indeed,  on  three  different  occasions  the  etymology  of  the 
name  Isaac  (laughter)  is  suggested.  In  one  (Gen.  18  :  12) 
it  is  referred  to  the  incredulous  laugh  of  Sarah  when  she 
overhears  the  promise  the  divine  stranger  makes  to  Abra- 
ham. In  another  (21  :  6)  it  is  the  laughter  of  joy  after  the 
birth  of  her  child.  In  yet  another  (17  :  17)  it  is  the  in- 
credulous laughter  of  Abraham,  who  thinks  he  is  too  old  to 
have  a  son.  Three  times,  too,  does  a  patriarch  deny  his  wife: 
Isaac  once  (26  :  i-ii),  and  Abraham  twice  (12  :  10-20  and 
II 


Introduction  The  Messages  of 

20:1-18),  all  three  times  under  precisely  similar  circum- 
stances. Now  it  is  not  impossible,  though  it  is  suspicious, 
that  Isaac  should  be  in  circumstances  precisely  similar  to 
Abraham,  and  should  have  acted  in  precisely  the  same  way. 
But  it  is  more  than  suspicious,  it  is  improbable,  that  two 
such  stories  told  of  Abraham,  resembling  each  other  in 
all  essentials,  and  neither  making  the  smallest  allusion  to 
the  other,  correspond  to  two  separate  incidents  in  his  life. 
One  of  the  most  significant  repetitions  is  connected  with 
the  revelation  of  the  name  Jehovah.  In  Exodus  3  :  13  ff. 
Moses  does  not  know  the  name  of  the  God  of  the  fathers ; 
the  name  of  Jehovah  comes  to  him  as  a  new  revelation 
and  marks  a  new  departure  (v.  15).  Exodus  6  :  3  ff.  pre- 
sents t^e  same  idea,  and  says  expressly  what  Exodus  3 
says  implicitly^  ihat  the  name  Jehovah  was  unknown  to 
the  fathers;  they  knew  him  only  as  EI  Shaddai.  The 
presence  of  such  duplicates,  repeating  an  earlier  story 
with  no  serious  addition,  sometimes  with  no  addition 
whatever,  and  often  in  almost  exactly  the  same  words, 
proves  as  conclusively  as  the  discrepancies  do,  that  the 
Hexateuch  is  not  from  one  hand. 
First  clew :  But  this  conclusion  may  be  stated  positively  as  well  as 
for^God"*  negatively.  The  Hexateuch  must  be  from  two  or  more 
—Jehovah    hauds.     Now  is  it  possible  to  find  any  clew  to  the  ele- 

and  Elohim  ^  ,1. 

ments  that  our  argument  compels  us  to  believe  have  en- 
tered into  the  composition  of  that  whole  }  It  is.  The  most 
obvious  clew — and  this  discovery  is  as  old  as  the  year 
12 


the  Historians  Introduction 

1753 — is  that  certain  sections  in  the  Book  of  Genesis,  as 
for  example  chapter  i,  use  the  Hebrew  word  Elohim  ^  for 
God,  whereas  certain  other  sections,  as  chapter  18,  use 
the  word  Jehovah.^  Throughout  these  sections  and  many 
others,  this  use  of  the  words  is  consistently  maintained. 
That  is  surely  no  accident ;  for  we  find  precisely  the 
same  distinction  running  through  the  duplicates.  One 
section  uses  Jehovah  ;  the  parallel  section,  with  the  same 
story  to  tell,  uses  Elohim.  Take  the  two  versions  of  the 
covenant  between  God  and  Abraham  in  Genesis  1 5  and 
17.  Here  the  difference  in  detail  is  considerable,  but  the 
central  fact  is  the  same ;  the  pact  is  definitely  and  even 
formally  made.  The  first  version,  however,  employs  only 
the  word  Jehovah  ;  the  second  (with  the  exception  of 
V.  i)  only  the  word  Elohim.  A  similar  difference  ob- 
viously distinguishes  Genesis  i  :  i  to  2  :  4*  from  Genesis 
2:4''  to  3  :  24,  though  in  the  latter  section,  for  special 
reasons,  the  longer  form  Jehovah  Elohim  appears.  The 
story  of  the  creation  is  really  told  twice.  Man  is  already 
created  and  even  blessed  (i  :  27,  28)  when  chapter  2,  in  a 
much  more  primitive  spirit,  describes  his  creation  anew. 

On  the  basis  of  this  discovery,  then,  we  should  suppose 
that  there  were  two  documents,  differing  in  their  use  of 
the  divine  name,  and  differing  so  uniformly  that  it  would 

1  Represented  in  the  English  Bible  by  the  word  God. 

2  Wrongly  represented  in  the  English  Bible  by  'the  Lord."  This  trans- 
lation is  ultimately  due  to  the  LXX. 

13 


Introduction 


TJie  Messages  of 


Sections  be  easy  to  mark  off  the  sections  which  belong  to  each.  It 
Sed^on^^'  is  not,  howevcr  quite  so  easy ;  for  in  what  is  to  all  ap- 
and  th5s%he  pearanccs  a  single  section,  the  names  appear  to  be  inter- 
character  is- changeable  or  at  least  interchanged.  The  story  of  the 
respective  Flood,  for  example,  uses  both  names  freely.  But  closer 
be  a"s™e^r-'^  examination,  so  far  from  vitiating  the  conclusion  reached, 
tamed  really  corroborates  it.     Genesis  6  :  6-8  and  7:1-4  cover 

precisely  the  same  ground  as  6  :  9-22 — God's  determi- 
nation to  destroy  the  earth  for  its  wickedness,  and  to  save 
Noah  for  his  righteousness.  The  former  is  a  Jehovistic 
passage,  as  it  is  called  ;  the  latter  is  Elohistic.  In  other 
words  the  transitions  in  the  use  of  the  divine  name  are 
not  arbitrary,  but  coincide  with  the  transitions  involved 
in  the  duplication  of  the  story.  By  closely  watching  the 
characteristics  of  language,  phrase,  style,  and  sentiment 
within  the  sections  whose  origin  is  certain  on  the  basis  of 
the  use  of  the  divine  names,  our  knowledge  of  these  char- 
acteristics grows,  and  thus  enables  us  to  mark  off,  often 
with  equal  certainty,  other  passages  where  the  absence  of 
the  divine  names  deprives  us  of  our  most  important  clew. 
In  this  way,  the  first  nineteen  chapters  of  Genesis  could 
be  relegated,  even  by  the  unskilled  reader,  with  at  least 
approximate  certainty,  to  their  respective  sources.  Our 
data  are  now  extensive  enough  to  justify  us  in  tentatively 
tabulating  the  leading  characteristics  of  the  two  sources 
and  their  most  significant  contrasts. 

The  contrasts  are  indeed  very  significant,  and  are  at 
14 


the  Historians  Introduction 


first  most  profitably  studied  on  the  basis  of  the  parallel  The  con- 
accounts.     Only  one  or  two  salient  points  can  be  here  vT^^sSL 
suggested.    The  creation  stories  are  both  exceedingly  im-  Eioksdc^ 
pressive,  but  impressive  in  different  ways.     The  Elohistic  sections 
story — I  :  I  to  2  :  4* — is  formal,  orderly,  severe,  precise, 
with  an  almost  legal  precision.     Notice  the  many  repeti- 
tions "  and  it  was  so,"  obviously  designed  on  the  part  of 
the  writer  and  typical  of  his  method.     These  features 
characterize  other  sections  whose  Elohistic  origin  is  cer- 
tain:   17  :  12,  13,  23,  27  (law  of  circumcision)  and  9  :  i, 
2,  7  (blessing  of  Noah).      The  last  section  is  specially 
instructive,  as  it  not  only  shows  the  writer's  love  of  rep- 
etition and  precision,  but  also  adopts  a  vocabulary  char- 
acteristic of  chapter  i  (cf .  "  Be  fruitful  and  multiply,"  i : 
22,  28  ;  and  the  enumeration  of  the  animals  9  :  2  and  i  : 
26,  28). 

A  very  different  picture  is  presented  in  the  passages  The  jeho- 
certainly  Jehovistic.     The  first  creation  story  was  almost  tions 
religious  philosophy.     The  second  is  almost  religious  ro- 
mance.    The  first  was  precise,  the  second  is  picturesque. 
In  it,  one  of  the  animals  can  speak.     Adam  and  Eve  are 
figures  of  an  intensely  human  interest.     The  divine  Being 
has  a  startling  and  all  but  human  reality.     Not  merely  is 
his  presence  grandly  suggested,  as  in  the  first  story  ;  he  is 
brought  vividly  upon  the  scene.     He  walks  about  in  the  - 
garden  in  the  cool  of  the  day.     So  through  all  the  other 
Jehovistic  stories,  this  mighty  figure  moves,  as  real  as  the 

15 


Introduction 


The  Messages  of 


There  are 
really  two 
Elohistic 
documents, 
and  conse- 
quently 
three  chief 
documents 
in  all 


creatures  of  flesh  and  blood  whose  salvation  is  his  heart's 
desire.  We  hear  his  voice.  We  can  almost  touch  the 
hem  of  his  garment — so  close  is  he.  He  shuts  the  door 
of  the  ark  behind  Noah  (Gen.  7 :  16).  He  comes  down 
from  heaven  to  see  the  city  and  the  tower  which  men  are 
building  (11  14,  5).  He  eats  the  cakes  Sarah  had  baked, 
and  speaks  to  Abraham  as  a  man  to  his  friend  (18  :  22,  23). 
The  contrast  between  these  two  conceptions  is  too 
obvious  to  be  denied,  and  this  is  only  one  of  many  con- 
trasts which  differentiate  the  Elohistic  and  Jehovistic  pas- 
sages. With  this  key  in  our  hand,  it  would  seem  possi- 
ble to  unlock  any  chapter,  and  compel  it  to  lead  us  to  its 
source.  But  a  grave  difficulty  is  created  by  Genesis  20. 
It  tells  for  the  second  time  the  story  of  Abraham's  denial 
of  his  wife  (cf.  12  :  10-20),  using  the  word  Elohim  where  the 
previous  story  had  used  Jehovah.  But  almost  every  other 
characteristic  of  the  Elohistic  document — so  far  as  the  argu- 
ment has  shown  us  what  these  are — seems  to  fail.  This 
story  is  not  formal ;  it  is  as  picturesque  as  the  Jehovistic 
story,  and  is  indeed,  except  for  some  minor  differences  not 
unimportant  in  their  own  place,  practically  a  replica  of  the 
other  story.  Here  the  argument  would  halt,  but  for  one 
very  important  fact,  touched  on  before  (p.  12),  namely, 
that  there  are  two  accounts  of  the  revelation  of  the  name 
Jehovah,  one  in  Exodus  3,  the  other  in  Exodus  6.  In 
other  words,  there  is  not  one  document  but  two  which 
regard  the  name  Jehovah  as  revealed  for  the  first  time  to 
16 


the  Historians  Introduction 


Moses,  and  consequently  unknown  before  him,  and  for 
this  reason  deliberately  avoid  it  throughout  the  Book  of 
Genesis.  The  Jehovistic  document  assumes  the  existence 
of  the  name  Jehovah  from  the  beginning ;  it  is  known  not 
only  to  Abraham  (15  17)  but  even  to  the  antediluvians 
(4  :  26).  The  facts  then  compel  us  to  admit  the  existence 
of  three  documents,  not  two  ;  one  Jehovistic,  and  two 
Elohistic,  one  of  which — that  represented  by  the  first  cre- 
ation story  of  Genesis — is  a  striking  contrast  to  the  Jeho- 
vistic in  style  and  tone,  and  the  other — that  represented  by 
Genesis  20 — is,  in  the  main,  very  like  the  Jehovistic.  It  is 
to  be  carefully  noted  that  only  the  latter  is  now  called  by 
criticism  the  Elohist ;  the  former  is  called  the  priestly  ^ 
writing,  because  it  is  written  in  the  same  style  and  dis- 
plays the  same  interests  as  the  book  of  Leviticus  and 
certain  parts  of  Exodus  and  Numbers  which  deal  almost 
entirely  with  the  priestly  legislation. 

The  clew  to  the  origin  of  a  chapter  or  section  yielded  The  Jeho- 
by  the  name  of  God  is  exceedingly  valuable.  But  in  the 
nature  of  the  case,  this  criterion  breaks  down — not  quite, 
but  almost  entirely — after  Exodus  6,  when  all  three  sources 
are  free  to  use  the  name  Jehovah.  '  And  although,  after 
that  point,  the  priestly  sections  are  usually  very  easy  to 
distinguish,  as  their  characteristics  are  so  unlike  those  of 

*  The  abbreviations  in  common  use  for  these  documents  are  J,  E  and  P. 
Further  discussion  of  the  priestly  document  is  reserved  for  the  third  part 
of  this  volume,  dealing  with  the  priestly  historians. 

17 


Introduction  The  Messages  of 

the  other  documents,  it  is  seldom  possible  to  distinguish 

with  much  confidence  between  the  Jehovist  and  the  Elo- 

hist,  as  they  have  so  much  in  common.     For  that  reason, 

and  for  the  further  reason  that  the  Jehovist  and  Elohist 

documents,   originally    independent,    were    subsequently 

united  to  make  one  whole  and  consequently  often  closely 

interwoven  with  one  another,  it  is  customary  to  speak  of 

this  source,  at  any  rate,  after  Exodus  6,  as  the  Jehovist- 

Elohist.^ 

Differences       For  the  purposes  of  this  volume,  which  are  rather  relig- 

jehovfs"  and  ious  than  Critical,  the  Jehovist  and  the  Elohist,  writing  in 

ExaS'^k?"  "^^^ch  the  same  spirit,  and  latterly  combined,  as  has  just  ^ 

(i)  Abra-      been  said,  are  treated  as  a  single  source  even  in  Genesis, 

ham's  denial  ...  .         ,  ,,     ,  ,        i       i-  i  •    , 

of  Sarah  attention  being  simply  called  to  the  duplicates,  which  on 
this  view  need  no  special  treatment,  as  they  deal  with  the 
same  or  similar  facts  and  illustrate  the  same  lessons.  But 
it  may  be  well  to  show  briefly  how  the  critical  division 
between  the  Jehovist  and  the  Elohist  is  effected  in  passages 
where,  in  the  absence  of  the  divine  name,  there  is  no  obvi- 
ous clew,  and  how  this  division  can  be  occasionally  effected 
with  something  like  certainty  even  in  passages  subsequent 
to  Exodus  6.  For  this  purpose  a  study  of  the  duplicates  is 
indispensable  ;  for  in  duplicates  the  peculiar  interests  of 
each  source  will  be  most  obvious.  Contrast,  for  example, 
the  two  stories  of  Abraham's  denial  of  Sarah.  The  Jeho- 
vist (Gen.  12  :  10-20)  tells  a  plain,  unvarnished  tale;  he  is 

1  Known  to  criticism  as  J  E. 
18 


the  Historians  Introduction 


unembarrassed  by  Abraham's  falsehood  and  cowardice. 
Not  so  the  Elohist.  His  moral  sense  is  more  delicate. 
He  feels  the  necessity  of  excusing  Abraham,  or  at  least  of 
letting  him  offer  his  own  excuse  (20  :  12).  His  religious 
sense  is  also  more  advanced.  Whereas  the  Jehovist,  as 
we  have  seen,  often  brings  God  bodily  upon  the  scene,  in 
the  Elohist  he  usually  appears,  as  here,  in  a  dream 
(20  : 3).  The  latter  story  is  more  reflective  than  the 
other ;  and  in  keeping  with  this,  Abraham  is  more  ideal- 
ized. Here  he  is  a  prophet  (20 :  7).  His  prayer,  like 
Job's  (Job  42  :  8)  is  potent  to  restore  Abimelech  (20:  7,  17). 

The  view  that  the  Elohist  is  an  advance  upon  the  Jeho-  (2)  The  dc 
vist  is  corroborated  by  the  very  next  chapter,  which  deals  Hagar*^  ^ 
v/ith  the  departure  of  Hagar  (21  :  8  ff.)  and  duplicates  the 
Jehovistic  story  in  16:  5  ff.  Here  Abraham  is  sorry  for 
Hagar  and  deals  with  her  more  clemently  than  in  the  pre- 
vious story.  He  does  not  leave  her  to  Sarah's  tender 
mercies,  but  sends  her  away  provisioned,  and  even  then 
only  at  the  command  of  God.  Whereas  in  chapter  16 
(cf.  7-1 1)  the  angel  oi  Jehovah  speaks  directly  \o  Hagar 
and  is  spoken  to  by  her,  in  21  :  17  the  angel  of  God  calls 
to  her  otit  of  heaven,  and  is  of  course  not  addressed  in 
turn  by  her.  The  tendency  to  idealize  is  seen  also  in  the 
different  turn  given  to  Sarah's  laughter,  which  is  now  the 
laughter  of  joy  (21  :  6).  The  same  tendency  is  conspicu- 
ously seen  in  the  Elohist's  account  of  Jacob's  success  un- 
der Laban.     This  success  is  ascribed  in  31  :  5-12  (E)  to  the 

19 


Introduction  The  Messages  of 

intervention  of  God ;  in  the  previous  chapter,  to  the  skill 
and  craft  of  Jacob  (30  :  25-43  :  J).  Notice,  too,  the  dream 
in  31  :  II.  In  accordance  with  this  higher  religious  stand- 
point, images  are  at  least  implicitly  condemned.  For  it 
is  hard  not  to  see  a  touch  of  irony,  all  the  more  delicate 
that  no  comment  is  made,  in  the  description  of  Laban's 
search  for  the  teraphim,  upon  which  all  the  while  Rachel 
is  sitting,  31  :  34  (cf.  Josh.  24  :  2,  14  ;  Gen.  35:2). 
How  sec-  Every  paragraph  whose  limits  can  be  determined,  adds 
rdegate^d  to  to  our  knowledge  of  the  style,  vocabulary,  and  theological 
memar'?"'  tendencies  of  the  source  from  which  it  comes,  and  thus 
sources  enables  us  to  delimit  other  sections,  whose  origin  is  not 
obvious  at  the  first  glance.  Often  where  all  such  hints 
practically  fail,  we  may  yet  feel  fairly  confident  of  the 
source,  if  the  section  is  inconsistent  with  some  other  sec- 
tion whose  source  is,  for  any  of  the  above  reasons,  prac- 
tically certain  (cf.  the  Joseph  story).  This  new  section 
in  turn  advances  our  knowledge  of  the  source  to  which  it 
belongs.  Later  sections  which  clearly  allude  to,  or  imply, 
an  earlier  section  will  of  course  belong  to  the  same  source. 
It  is  in  this  way  that  the  plagues  of  Egypt  have  been  rele- 
gated to  their  respective  documentary  sources.  Thus,  by 
a  process  which  is  often  very  delicate  and  difficult,  but  al- 
ways scientific,  results  that  are  more  than  approximate 
have  been  reached,  and  the  original  documents  that  have 
gone  to  make  our  present  Hexateuch,  at  least  partially  re- 
constructed. 

20 


the  Historians  Introduction 


III 

DATE    AND    PLACE    OF    ORIGIN    OF    THE     PROPHETIC 
DOCUMENTS 

No  records  have  been  left  either  of  the  time  or  place  at  The  Elohis- 
which  the  documents  were  composed,  any  more  than  of  hovtrtic 
the  manner  of  their  composition.     For  the  determination  bekTnTt?^ 
of  these  we  are  consequently  thrown  back  entirely  upon  in-  ^^e  North- 
ternal  evidence  ;  and  that  may  be  said  to  be  of  two  kinds  Southern 
— historical  and  theological.     We  have  already  seen  rea-  respeSeiy 
son  to  believe  that  the  Elohist  is  later  than  the  Jehovist. 
From  the  prominence  he  assigns  to  sanctuaries  in  the 
northern  kingdom,  from  the  role  that  Reuben  plays  in  the 
-Joseph  story,  as  well  as  for  other  reasons,  it  has  been  con- 
jectured that  the  Elohistic  document  is  a  product  of  the 
northern  kingdom.     On  the  other  hand,  from  the  promi- 
nence assigned  to  Hebron  in  the  stories  of  Abraham  and 
Jacob,  from  the  role  assigned  to  Judah  in  the  Joseph  story, 
where  he  and  not  Reuben  takes  the  initiative,  and  from 
the  interest  in  and  knowledge  of  Judah  displayed  in  Gene- 
sis 38,  it  has  been  supposed  that  the  Jehovistic  document 
originated  in  the  southern  kingdom — at  least  in  its  pres- 
ent form ;  for  this  document,  too,  is  interested,  though  not  to 
quite  the  same  extent  as  the  other,  in  the  northern  sanctu- 
aries.    The  supposition  that  the  documents  belong  to  dif- 
21 


Introduction  The  Messages  of 

ferent  kingdoms  becomes  all  the  more  probable,  when  we 
remember  how  fundamentally  they  differ  in  their  view  of 
the  time  at  which  the  name  Jehovah  was  revealed,  and 
consider  how  improbable  it  is  that  conceptions  so  different 
should  arise  within  a  community  exposed  to  the  same  po- 
litical and  religious  influences. 
United  be-  The  Jchovistic  and  Elohistic  documents  were  at  one 
'  '  time  united.  It  is  impossible  to  say  precisely  when,  but 
the  century  at  least  may  with  tolerable  certainty  be  fixed. 
After  the  fall  of  the  northern  kingdom  in  721  B.  C,  a  rea- 
son exists  for  the  fusion  of  the  documents  which  did  not 
exist  before.  A nd  Deuteronomy,  published  in  62 1 ,  already 
appears  to  presuppose  that  fusion.  It  probably  lies  there- 
fore between  721  and  621  ;  not  impossibly  in  the  reign  of 
Hezekiah,  which  was  an  age  of  reform  and  of  some  liter- 
ary activity. 
Each  docu-  Hitherto  we  have  spoken  of  the  Jehovistic  and  Elohistic 
wo"k  oVa^  documents,  as  if  each  was  the  work  of  a  single  author. 
More  probably,  however,  they  were  the  work  of  a  school, 
and  represent  a  literary  and  religious  activity  that  ranges 
over  a  considerable  period.  For  within  each  document, 
discrepancies  of  the  same  kind  are  observable,  though  not 
so  palpable,  as  were  found  to  distinguish  the  Jehovist  and 
the  Elohist  from  one  another.  The  Jehovist,  for  example, 
who  traces  the  descent  of  shepherds,  musicians,  and  work- 
ers in  metal,  to  Lamech's  children  (Gen.  4  :  19-22),  can 
hardly  have  told  the  story  of  the  Flood,  which  interrupted 
22 


school 


the  Historians  Introduction 


I 


the  continuity  of  human  life,  though  this  story  has  also  a 
Jehovistic  source. 

Each  document,  then,  represents  a  period  rather  than  a  Neither 
single  author.  Is  it  possible  to  determine  that  period  ap-  earlier  than 
proximately  }  Clearly  the  earlier  notices  at  any  rate  were  of  d*S  or 
written  long  after  the  event.  No  contemporary  could  Solomon 
possibly  have  designated  Shechem's  outrage  of  Dinah  as 
folly  i7i  Israel  (Gen.  34  :  7).  There  was  no  Israel  as 
yet.  The  clew,  however,  yielded  by  the  anachronism,  is 
a  valuable  one,  as  it  implies  the  nation  and  national  life, 
and  thus  the  passage  could  not  even  conceivably  be 
earlier  then  Moses.  But  according  to  Genesis  12:6  and 
13:7  (both  J)  the  Canaanite  was  then  in  the  land,  the 
implication  being  that  by  the  author's  time  they  had  no 
longer  a  separate  existence.  As  late  as  David's  time,  how- 
ever, there  were  Jebusites  ;  indeed  Jerusalem  was  their 
fortress,  and  years  after  its  capture  Jebusites  are  still  in 
the  city  (2  S.  24  :  16).  Thus  the  days  of  the  monarchy 
are  implied  (cf.  Gen.  36  :  31),  and  this  conclusion  is  con- 
firmed by  the  express  allusions  to  the  king  in  two  songs 
(Num.  23  :  21  and  24  :  7),  incorporated  in  the  prose  nar- 
rative and  necessarily  older  than  it.  The  subjection  of 
the  Canaanites  appears  to  be  implied  by  Genesis  9  :  26  ^ 
(J),  and  this  was  not  attained  till  the  time  of  Solomon 
(i  K.  9  :  21).     The  Jehovistic  document  then  cannot  be 

1  If,  however,  this  be  merely  a  wish,  as  it  may  be,  the  passage  would  be 
earlier,  and  the  argument  falls. 

23 


Introduction  The  Messages  of 

earlier  than  the  time  of  David  or  Solomon.  Through- 
out it  there  breathes  the  spirit  of  joy.  The  people  are  in 
glad  possession  of  their  beautiful  land,  rejoicing  in  the 
worship  of  the  sanctuaries  that  are  scattered  about  it,  and 
to  which  patriarchal  memories  still  cling.  The  earlier 
limit  for  the  date  is  thus  fixed. 
Nor  could  The  lower  limit  is  determined  by  the  circumstance  that 
they,  in  the  ^^  fusion  of  the  documents  had  been  already  effected 

main,  be  •' 

later  than  bcforc  621  B.  C.  ;  the  separate  documents  must  of  course 
Hosea^"  be  older.  But  the  date  may  be  pushed  still  further  back. 
The  popularity  of  the  northern  sanctuaries  which  is  sug- 
gested by  the  profound  interest  displayed  by  the  Hexa- 
teuch  in  their  origin  finds  its  counterpart  in  the  pages  of 
Amos  and  Hosea  (roughly  750-735),  according  to  whom 
the  most  enthusiastic  worship  was  maintained  at  some  of 
these  very  sanctuaries,  like  Bethel,  Gilgal  (cf.  Am.  4:4; 
Hos.  12  :  11).  The  date  of  the  documents  might  then  be 
as  late  as  that.  It  has  been  further  maintained  that  these 
prophets  betray  acquaintance  with  the  narratives  of  the 
documents  in  their  present  literary  form  ;  in  that  case,  the 
documents  would  be  still  older.  But  such  references  to 
Hexateuchal  narrative  as  that  of  Hosea  (12  :  3,4)  to  Jacob, 
or  to  the  exodus  under  Moses  (Hos.  12  :  13,  cf.  Mic.  6  :  4) 
need  prove  no  more  than  that  the  narratives  were  familiar 
to  prophets  and  people,  possibly  through  oral  transmission, 
not  necessarily  through  a  fixed  literary  medium.  At  the 
same  time,  the  Jehovist  document  is  probably  older. 
24 


the  Historians  Introduction 


Here  the  argument  from  theology  comes  to  our  aid.  The  jeho- 
The  conception  of  God  found  in  Amos,  and  especially  in  Ts  probabty** 
Hosea,  is  a  distinct  advance  on  that  of  the  Jehovist.  Not  ^^^^'^"^ 
indeed  in  range  or  intensity.  For  there  is,  as  we  saw,  a 
startling  reality  about  the  Jehovist's  conception  of  God ; 
and  according  to  him,  too,  all  the  earth  is  God's.  He 
created  it,  and  he  can  wield  the  powers  of  nature  even  in 
a  foreign  land  for  his  own  righteous  ends,  and  for  the 
good  of  the  people  whom  he  loves.  But  there  still  plays 
about  his  conception  a  certain  naive  anthropomorphism,* 
which  has  disappeared  by  the  time  we  reach  the  prophets. 
It  is  fascinating,  but  it  marks  an  earlier  stage  of  religious 
thought.  The  fine  religious  imagination  which  lies  behind 
such  a  passage  as  Exodus  24  :  9-11  where  the  company 
on  the  mountain  "  saw  God,  and  did  eat  and  drink,"  is 
unquestioned.  Yet  it  is  hardly  consistent  with  the  severe 
spirituality  of  Hosea.  Even  in  the  Hexateuch  itself  there 
is  a  passage''  which,  in  vigorously  insisting  that  Israel 
only  heard  a  voice  at  Horeb,  and  saw  nothing,  looks  if  not 
like  a  protest,  at  least  like  a  correction  of  this  more  prim- 
itive representation. 

Of  course  this  argument  cannot  lead  to  any  precise  re-  Perhaps 
suit,  but  it  seems  to  compel  us  to  carry  the  date  about  aLc   ^° 
century  behind  Amos  and  Hosea,  say  to  850  B.  C.     It 
could  not,  as  we  saw,  be  earlier  than  David  or  Solomon. 

*  Cf.  Ex.  4  :  24-26  for  an  extreme  instance. 
«  Dt.  4  :  12, 15. 

25 


^  Introduction  The  Messages  of 

Nor  could  it  well  be  contemporary ;  time  must  be  allowed 
for  the  growth  of  literary  interests  and  a  purer  religion. 
More  than  this  we  cannot  say.  The  note  of  exultation 
which  rings  through  the  Jehovistic  story  seems  to  be  an 
echo  of  peace  and  victory  rather  than  of  disquiet  or  de- 
feat. Such  a  temper  suits  the  date  suggested  (about  850) 
better  than  the  period  immediately  before,  or  immediately 
after,  which  were  both  troublous.  Of  course,  considering 
that  this  document  represents  a  long  movement,  and  was 
not  executed  all  at  once,  there  is  every  probability  that 
certain  sections,  especially  the  more  prophetic  in  tone  and 
temper,  come  from  a  later  day. 
The  Eiohist  The  Elohistic  document  may  well  be,  in  the  main,  at 
m^thes^e?ond  least  thrcc-quarters  of  a  century  later.  Many  of  its  ele- 
fhe  rfign^of  mcuts  are  doubtless  very  old  and  primitive.  But,  generally 
Jeroboam  speaking,  its  more  delicate  moral  and  religious  feeling 
which  makes  the  same  kind  of  advance  upon  the  Jehovist 
that  Amos  and  Rosea  make,  and  its  earnest  polemic 
against  the  strange  gods '  would  admirably  suit  the  time 
of  Jeroboam  II.,  somewhere  between  770  and  760  B.  C.^ 

1  Gen.  35  :  2 ;  especially  Josh.  24  :  23,  cf.  Hos.  2  :  13,  17. 

'  It  is  only  fair  to  say  that  there  is  considerable  disagreement  among 
critics  as  to  the  dates  of  these  documents,  and  even  as  to  the  priority  of  the 
Jehovist.  I  have  sought  to  avoid  confusion  and  controversy,  by  presenting 
the  line  of  argument  which  seems  to  me,  on  the  whole,  the  most  probable. 


26 


the  Historians  Genesis 


IV 

THE    PROGRESS    OF    THE     DIVINE     PURPOSE     IN     THE 
BOOK    OF    GENESIS 

The  prophetic  history,  known  as  the  Jehovist-Elohistic  inthebegin- 
document  incorporated  in  the  Hexateuch,  tells  the  story  of  '^^"^ 
Israel's  origin,  early  discipline,  and  settlement  in  the  land 
of  Canaan.  Her  origin  is  in  God,  the  same  God  who 
made  all  men  and  all  the  world.  Therefore  her  story, 
which  does  not  strictly  begin  until  the  call  of  Abraham  in 
Genesis  12,  is  significantly  rooted  by  the  historian  in  the 
wider  story  of  humanity.  This  liberal  outlook,  despite 
much  that  seems  to  contradict  it,  is  characteristic  of  the 
whole  history.  The  keen  ^  and  often  friendly  interest  in 
other  nations,  attested  by  the  story  of  Joseph  in  Egypt,  is 
prophetic  of  the  day  when  all  nations  would  be  citizens  of 
the  new  Jerusalem,  and  call  Zion  mother.'' 

The  story  opens  with  the  tragedy  of  human  existence —  The  tragedy 
disobedience  to  the  reasonable  voice  of  God.  under  thcence^^  ^  ^' 
fascination  of  some  plausible  but  ruinous  temptation. 
Man  falls  from  his  God -given  destiny  by  the  exercise  of  a 
false  choice ;  the  problem  of  the  Bible — of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment no  less  than  the  New — is  how  he  is  to  be  restored. 
His  fall  compels  the  intervention  of  God  who  made  him 

»  Cf.  Gen.  10.  2  Ps.  87  :  5  (LXX). 

27 


Genesis  The  Messages  of 

and  loves  him,  and  he  sends  him  forth  in  chastisement  to 
a  hfe  of  battle  and  sorrow.  But  the  struggle  on  which  his 
sin  has  launched  him  is  not  to  be  without  hope,  for  God 
himself  is  interested  in  the  issue. 
Redemption  As  if  to  thwart  the  redemptive  purpose,  soon  a  deeper 
dect"|eop"e  plunge  is  made  by  man— from  disobedience  to  murder ; 
and  the  descendants  of  the  murderer  are  the  representa- 
tives of  civilization.  A  new  step  in  the  way  of  knowledge 
is  a  step  away  from  God  :  not  perhaps  of  necessity,  but 
in  fact.  The  weapons  forged  by  the  workers  in  iron  are 
deadly  weapons  of  war,  wherewith  men  wreak  vengeance. 
The  first  poem  that  meets  us  in  the  Bible  (Gen.  4  :  23,  24) 
is  a  glorification  of  revenge.  There  is  indeed  always  a 
witness  for  better  things,  always  an  Abel  or  a  Noah  ;  but 
in  the  main,  the  world  goes  on  from  bad  to  worse.  Its 
wickedness  at  length  is  so  terrible  that  the  righteous  God 
must  overwhelm  it.  It  must  die  for  baffling  his  purpose  ; 
and  the  Flood  is  made  to  fulfil  his  will.  But  his  will  is 
also  to  save  those  who  deserve  to  be  saved,  and  Noah,  be- 
cause he  is  a  righteous  man,  is  spared  (7  :  i).  With  the 
new  generation,  however,  that  springs  from  him  remain 
new  possibilities  of  sin,  which  soon  become  actualities. 
The  old  story  bids  fair  to  be  repeated.  It  is  against  this 
sad  and  sombre  background  that  the  divine  purpose  of  re- 
demption begins  to  unfold.  The  human  race  must  some- 
how be  won  for  God.  But  how?  By  electing  a  certain 
nation  to  the  function  of  teaching  the  world  his  nature  and 
28 


the  Historians  Genesis 

his  will.  The  ancestry  and  preparation  of  this  nation  will 
be  of  the  highest  moment,  and  with  unusual  interest  we 
watch  the  divine  selective  process  beginning. 

It  begins  with  the  call  of  Abraham  ;  in  that  call  the  Abraham 
world  was  given  a  new  opportunity.  Abraham  is  called 
from  the  land  of  his  birth  to  another  country  which,  for 
many  reasons,  historical  and  geographical,  was  peculiarly 
fitted  to  be  the  scene  of  a  historical  revelation,  and,  as  the 
land  of  promise,  is  always  closely  associated  with  the  des- 
tinies of  his  people.  Abraham  obeys  the  divine  voice; 
and  his  obedience  is  justified  by  his  subsequent  fortunes, 
which  show  how  specially  God  was  guarding  his  interests, 
crowning  him  with  a  prosperity  which  causes  neighboring 
kings  like  Abimelech  to  court  his  friendship,  and  preserv- 
ing him  from  such  a  fate  as  that  of  Lot  who  pitched  his 
tent  in  Sodom  and  paid  for  his  choice  so  heavy  a  penalty. 
He  makes  his  mistakes  (12  :  10-20  and  20  :  1-18)  but  God 
overrules  them.  The  moral  majesty  of  the  man  justifies 
the  divine  choice  of  him.  A  lover  of  peace  with  an  inbred 
horror  of  contention,  hospitable  and  chivalrous,  not  care- 
ful to  insist  narrowly  upon  his  own  rights,  sternly  righteous 
yet  strangely  tender-hearted,  pleading  for  the  wicked  city 
with  an  earnestness  that  would  not  be  baffled  even  by 
God  himself — such  a  man  is  Israel's  earliest  father.  And 
how  sensitive  he  is  to  the  divine  voice  !  He  obeys  its  first 
call,  its  every  call — whether  to  leave  his  country  or  give  up 
his  son,  his  only  son.  He  can  trust  that  voice  when  it 
29 


Genesis  The  Messages  of 

whispers  to  his  heart  words  of  high  destiny  for  him  and 
his.  It  is  with  such  a  man  as  this  that  God  makes  a  cov- 
enant (15)  and  speaks  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  (18  :  17). 
Surely  he  was  worthy  to  be  the  father  of  the  people 
through  whom  God  was  to  bring  to  the  world  the  knowl- 
edge of  his  blessed  will. 

Isaac  In  Isaac,  the  son  whom  he  loved  and  was  willing  with 

tears  to  lose  for  the  higher  love  he  bore  his  God,  the  di- 
vine purpose  is  continued.  Isaac  is  not  the  giant  his  fa- 
ther was,  but  he  is  not  unworthy  to  stand  in  the  succes- 
sion. For  Israel  needs  men  too  who  can  go  out  to  the 
fields  to  meditate  at  the  turning  of  the  evening  (24  :  63). 

Jacob  But  it  is  Jacob,  Isaac's  son,  sharply  contrasted  with 

Esau,  the  ancestor  of  Israel's  neighbors  the  Edomites, 
that  is  the  most  characteristic  figure.  For  good  and  for 
evil,  he  is  an  Israelite  indeed.  A  man  of  undoubted  abil- 
ity and  resource,  with  full  knowledge  of  an  adversary's 
weakness  and  power  to  take  advantage  of  it,  never  em- 
barrassed, always  ready  to  adapt  himself  to  a  new  situa- 
tion not  only  with  skill  but  also  with  cunning — altogether 
a  clever  unscrupulous  schemer  who  at  first  sight  presents 
a  painful  contrast  to  the  bluff  and  chivalrous  Esau.  But 
there  are  deep  and  beautiful  things  in  this  man  too.  He 
too  could  meditate,  like  his  father,  when  the  stars  came 
out.  On  a  bare  hillside,  he  could  see  angels  come  and  go 
from  heaven  to  earth,  and  ere  he  crossed  his  river  of  des- 
tiny he  could  wrestle  in  the  dark  with  one  like  unto  a  son 
30 


tJie  Historians  Genesis 


of  man.  He  sees  the  unseen,  and  God's  host  meets  him 
as  he  goes  on  a  critical  way.  His  hidden  hfe  contains 
infinite  possibilities,  just  the  possibihties  which  count  for 
everything  in  religion.  So  it  is  quite  fitting  that  he,  hke 
his  people,  should  be  called  Israel.  He  is  a  man  worth 
winning,  though  it  is  only  by  a  hard  discipline  that  so 
self-reliant  a  man  is  won.  His  deceit  drives  him  from 
his  home  and  from  the  mother  who  had  schemed  for  him  ; 
we  never  read  that  he  saw  her  face  again.  In  the  foreign 
land  he  is  deceived  again  and  again  by  one  who  was  his 
match  and  almost  his  master.  He  comes  back  with  the 
old  terror  in  his  heart  which  years  before  had  driven  him 
away — yet  a  schemer  still.  But  God  lays  his  hand  upon 
him,  forces  him  to  reckon  with  the  unseen  powers  that 
are  shaping  his  destiny  and  claims  him  for  his  own. 

At  length  he  settles  in  the  land  of  promise,  and  the 
elect  man  is  now  Joseph  his  son.  His  story  is  more  than 
usually  romantic  ;  but  through  it  the  divine  purpose  runs 
clear — that  God's  chosen  instruments  need  special  dis- 
cipline, and  that  the  royal  way  is  a  way  of  sorrow.  The 
propriety  of  the  divine  choice  of  him  is  as  obvious  here  as 
it  was  in  the  case  of  Abraham.  His  early  life  is  very  im- 
pressive, in  its  dreams  dashed,  its  hope  deferred,  and 
promise  baulked.  It  is  as  sad  as  it  is  beautiful.  He  has 
to  face  cruelty  from  the  brethren  who  should  have  loved 
him,  separation  from  a  father  who  counts  him  his  dear- 
est, ingratitude  from  the  man  he  has  helped,  infamous 

31 


Genesis  The  Messages  of 

slander  from  those  in  whose  service  he  was  willing  to  give 
all  that  he  had  but  his  honor.  But  through  it  all  he 
keeps  his  spirit  bright.  What  moral  heroism  breathes 
through  his  reply  to  the  temptress  in  Egypt !  With  all 
the  alertness  of  his  father,  he  springs  full-armed  to  meet 
every  new  difficulty,  be  it  dream  or  temptation  or  threat 
of  famine ;  and  though  he  is  strong  he  can  also  be  ten- 
der unto  tears.  And  in  the  end  God  sets  this  man  of 
heaven-born  insight,  heroic  faith,  and  invincible  hope  over 
the  affairs  of  one  of  the  greatest  of  empires,  and  places  in 
his  debt  a  hungry  world. 
Israel  in  The  scene  is  now  shifted  to  Egypt,  and  there  interest 

^^P^  is  concentrated  for  a  period  both  long  and  sad.     The  di- 

vine purpose  seems  baffled  :  but  nothing  can  really  baffle 
it.  God  has  high  ends  to  serve  by  the  sojourn  of  Israel 
in  Egypt,  and  in  his  own  good  time  he  will  deliver  them, 
with  the  impress  of  his  nature  upon  them. 


THE    WORLD    OF    SIN    (Gcn.  2  :  4^  tO  II  !  30) 

I.  Man's  Place  vi  the  Universe  and  his  Choice  of  Sin 
(Gen.  2  :  4*"  to  4  :  24) 
Man :  his  M^^  is  the  handiwork  of  God  ;  his  spirit  is  the  breath 

origin,   task,  * 

and  duty  of  of  his  maker.     God,  when  he  made  him,  appomted  him  a 
\q^^'^^\  A^-  task — that  of  tilling  the  ground  and  gathering  her  fruits, 

X7)  32 


the  Historians  Genesis  3:13 

and  he  gave  him  all  that  satisfied  eye  and  heart.  But  the 
task  had  its  temptations.  He  was  permitted  to  enjoy  the 
fair  and  pleasant  fruits  of  the  garden  in  which  God  had 
placed  him  ;  but  there  was  fruit  in  that  garden  which  to 
touch  was  death.     So  said  conscience  and  God. 

Now  man  needs  companionship ;  and  among  the  beasts  Woman 
there  is  none  that  can  be  called  his  fellow.     He  needs  an/compie- 
a  being  like  himself,  and  such  a  one  God  gave  him  in  (^^."18-25) 
woman.     She  alone  is  his  peer ;  in  wedlock  he  and  she 
are  no  more  twain,  but  one. 

Then  to  the  woman  came  one  day  temptation  with  the 
sinuous  coils  and  the  glittering  eye  that  fascinates.  Why  The  tragedy 
should  she  not  satisfy  her  curiosity  and  touch  that  fair^J^J^ 
forbidden  fruit  ?  It  could  not  cost  so  dear  as  God  had  ^3 : 1-13) 
said;  they  surely  should  not  die.  Rather  would  their 
knowledge  grow  by  this  forbidden  venture.  Conscience 
and  passion  pled  within  her.  At  length  she  fell,  and  the 
man  was  involved  in  her  fall.  They  had  indeed  won 
knowledge,  but  it  was  knowledge  of  their  shame — knowl- 
edge of  how  terrible  a  thing  it  is  to  disobey  the  earnest 
reasonable  voice  of  God.  They  sought  with  vain  things 
to  hide  their  shame  and  to  flee  from  the  searching  sound 
of  the  voice  divine.  But  in  the  evening  hour  God  found 
them,  smitten  with  remorse  and  shame,  but  not  yet  with 
humble  penitence ;  for  the  man  accused  the  woman,  and 
the  woman  the  passion  that  had  against  her  better  heart 
misled  her. 


Genesis  3  :  14  The  Messages  of 

The  penalty      Then  in  Stern,  solemn  words  through  which  there  yet 
(3 :  14-24)     gleamed  hope,  God  uttered  his  word  of  judgment  upon 
their  disobedience. 

"Sin  shall  go  on  from  age  to  age,  struggling  with 
man  for  the  mastery,  and  man  shall  be  wounded 
as  he  tramples  upon  it ;  but  he  shall  crush  it  in  the 
end."  ^ 

'•Woman,  as  mother  and  wife,  shall  have  sorrows 
many  to  bear." 

"  Man  shall  have  to  wring  his  sustenance  from  the 
stubborn  earth  in  fierce  struggle  that  will  bring  the 
sweat  to  his  brow,  and  in  the  end  he  shall  return 
to  the  dust  whence  he  came." 

Then  God  provided  for  the  man  and  his  wife,  the  mother 
of  us  all,  a  better  covering  for  their  shame  than  that  which 
they  in  their  extremity  had  made.  But  their  sins  had  shut 
them  out  from  the  right  to  immortality ;  the  way  thither 
was  barred  by  powers  divine  and  strong. 
The  prog.  Now  Eve  bore  Adam  a  son,  Cain,  in  the  mystery  of 
("fwir  whose  birth  she  recognized  the  hand  of  God.  Abel,  his 
brother,  was  a  shepherd,  while  Cain  was  a  tiller  of  the 
ground ;  and  each  expressed  his  thanks  to  God  by  the 

*  The  actual  words  only  speak  of  a  ceaseless  warfare  between  humanity 
and  the  serpent.  But  the  triumph  of  humanity  seems  implicit  in  the  words, 
partly  because  the  serpent  is  cursed,  partly  because  man,  by  his  origin,  sus- 
tains special  relations  to  God,  and  the  divine  purpose  of  his  creation  must 
not  be  permanently  baulked.    (So  Dillmann.) 

34 


the  Historians  Genesis  6 :  i 


sacrifice  of  that  whereby  he  won  his  Hvelihood.  But  the 
spirit  of  the  offerers  differed  as  did  their  gifts,  and  God 
rewarded  them  accordingly.  Cain  was  jealous.  The  sin 
which  he  should  have  vanquished,  sprang  upon  him  and 
choked  his  brotherly  feeling,  and  he  treacherously  mur- 
dered the  brother  whose  keeper  he  should  have  been.  But 
the  deed  of  blood  haunted  him ;  a  voice  pursued  him ; 
and  he  was  forced  to  wander  far  from  God,  homeless  and 
in  terror,  about  the  stubborn  earth.  Smitten  with  horror 
at  the  thought  of  his  lonely  and  perilous  doom,  he  cried 
to  God,  and  received  his  gracious  promise  of  protection 
from  the  avengers  of  blood ;  for  blood-revenge  is  hate- 
ful to  God.  So  forth  he  went — from  the  presence  of 
God. 

But  not  to  wander,  rather  to  settle  and  build  a  city ;  The  progress 
and  it  is  the  offspring  of  this  violent  and  godless  sire  that  °J  5^"  7."/^^) 
are  the  fathers  of  civilization.  They  gave  the  world  the 
shepherd  life,  the  fine  and  useful  arts,  such  as  music  and 
working  in  metal,  and  they  knew  the  power  of  woman. 
The  violence  of  that  impious  culture  rings  through  La- 
mech's  song  of  vengeance.^ 

Those  days  also  saw  the  beginnings  of  true  worship.      Beginnings 

of  worship 

^  2.  Sin  Abounding  (5  :  29;  6  to  11)  ^^  '  ^^' 

After  Lamech  came  Noah  the  comforter.  Noah 

To  check  the  evils  arising  from  the  union  of  humanity  How^death 

entered 
1  With  him  also  begins  polygamy.  (6  :  1-4) 

35 


Genesis  6 :  2  The  Messages  of 

with  beings  superhuman,  God  limited  the  life  of  man  to 
one  hundred  and  twenty  years.* 
The  Flood.       Vexed  by  the  corruption  of  humanity,  God  determined 
an'jthr^^    to  blot  out  cvcry  living  thing,  all  but  Noah,  with  whom  he 
^^^^6*^/ _g.  dealt  in  grace;  for  Noah  was  a  good  man.     So,  by  the 
7 : 1  to  8 :  22)  divine  command,  he  and  his  household  entered  the  ark 
with  beasts  and  birds   of  all  kinds,  of  the  clean  seven 
pairs,  of  the  unclean  one  pair,  that  in  the  world  to  be  the 
species  might  be  preserved  alive ;  and  God  shut  the  door 
behind  him.     All  that  were  in  the  ark  he  preserved  in 
safety  throughout  the  forty  days  of  rain  which  destroyed 
every  living  thing,  and  until  the   waters   had   subsided, 
leaving  the  ground  dry.     So  Noah  acknowledged  God  in 
sacrifice.    Then  God,  well-pleased,  resolved  to  deal  hence- 
forth in  patient  love  with  man,  whose  will  from  youth  was 
sinfully  inclined ;  and  never  again  to  smite  the  earth  or  to 
interrupt  the  order  of  nature  in  judgment.^ 
The  blessing      Noah  began  to  cultivate  the  vine,  and  fell  into  shame 
cuie'^o:  18-  through  the  wine  thereof.     Ham,  fit  ancestor  of  the  licen- 
27)  tious  Canaanites,  went  and  told  his  brethren ;  and  Shem, 

the  father  of  the  Hebrews,  with  Japheth  his  brother,  cov- 
ered their  father's  shame.  Then  Noah  pronounced  a 
curse  and  a  blessing :  a  curse  fulfilled  this  day  in  the  sub- 
jection of  the  unchaste  Canaanites;  the  richest  blessing 

1  This  ancient  and  interesting  fragment  is  not  a  continuation  of  the  previ- 
ous narrative,  but  forms  in  reality  a  parallel  to  3  :  22-24,  ^nd  gives  another 
explanation  of  how  death  came  into  the  world. 

*  About  half  of  chs.  7  and  8  belongs  to  the  priestly  historian. 

36 


the  Historians  Genesis 


upon  Shem,  whose  children  have  the  true  God  among 
them ;  and  the  blessing  of  peace  and  a  wide  domain 
to  Japheth. 

(Now  these  represent  the  three  great  families  of  man-  The  divis- 
kind) :     To  the  Hamites  belong  the  Babylonian  empire,'  kiSd^Ci^fs- 
founded  by  Nimrod,  the  mighty  hunter  king — an  empire  ^9) 
whose  power  and  culture  travelled  north  to  Assyria  :  also 
various  branches  of  the  Egyptian  people,  from  whom  come 
the  Philistines  and  Cretans ;  further,  the  Canaanites  with 
Sidon,   their  oldest    settlement,   the   Hittites,   Jebusites, 
Amorites,  Girgashites,  Hivites,  and   the  peoples  of  five 
northern  cities  near  Lebanon,     The  Canaanites  stretched 
from  Sidon  in  the  north  to  Gaza  in  the  south. 

To  the  Semitic  family,^  which  is  the  oldest,  belong  first  (lo  :  21.   25- 
and  foremost  the  Hebrews ;  and  with  them  are  connected  ^°^ 
the  Arabs. 

Mankind,  yet  undivided,^  boldly   sought,   against    the  Meaning  of 
divine  purpose,   to   secure   itself  against    dispersion  by  language^  ° 
building  a  city  with  a  great  conspicuous  tower,  where  all  ^*^  •  ^'9> 
could  concentrate.     But  God  defeated  their  soaring  am- 
bition, destroying  their  unity,  by  confounding  their  lan- 
guage.    Hence  the  many  tongues  spoken  by  men.     So 
they  scattered  over  all  the  earth. 

J  This  is  scientifically  doubtful. 

'  Probably  this  notice  was  originally  preceded  by  one  dealing  with  the 
Japhetic  nations. 

3  This  section  must  therefore  be  from  a  different  source  from  the  two 
preceding  paragraphs. 

37 


Genesis  11:28 


The  Messages  of 


Abraham 
(II  :  28-30) 


(To  the  Semitic  family  belongs)  Abraham,  whose  home 
was  in  Mesopotamia  *  and  whose  wife  Sarah  had  borne 
him  no  children. 


VI 


The  call  of 
Abraham 
(12  :  1-9) 


THE    FATHERS    OF    THE    HEBREW    PEOPLE 

I.    The  Discipline  of  Abraham  (12  :  i  to  25  :  6) 

(i)     The  Call  of  Abraham  and  the  Divine  Care  of  Him  (12 
and  13) 

Abraham  was  stirred  by  a  divine  impulse  "^  to  leave  his 
home  and  all  that  he  held  dear  ;  for  it  was  the  purpose  of 
God  to  make  of  him  the  great  Hebrew  nation,  centre  and 
pattern '  of  blessing  to  all  mankind.  In  obedience  to  the 
voice,  Abraham  with  Lot  moved  westward  to  Canaan, 
and  at  Shechem  by  the  sacred  tree,  a  vision  of  Jehovah 
woke  in  his  heart  the  assurance  that  this  was  the  land, 
occupied  though  it  then  was  by  the  Canaanites,  that  his 
descendants  would  one  day  inherit.  There  he  gratefully 
acknowledged  Jehovah  in  worship,  as  also  at  Bethel,  and 
then  moved  southward. 

1  So,  apparently,  in  this  document,  cf.  24  :  10.  Ur,  if  it  be  the  Baby- 
lonian city,  represents  rather  the  tradition  of  the  priestly  document. 

2Cf.  20:  13  (E). 

3  "  Shall  bless  themselves,"  not  "  shall  be  blessed  "  (v.  3).  There  is  no 
missionary  thought  here. 

38 


the  Historians  Genesis  15:  21 


Driven  by  famine  from  the  land  of  promise  to  the  land  Divine  pres- 
that  was  one  day  to  be  the  house  of  bondage,  Abraham  E^ptTrom 
there  imperilled  the  promises  by  exposing  his  wife  to  the  periWiTTo^ 
danger  of  being  united  to  a  foreign  prince.     But  God  re-  20) 
vealed  his  watchful  care  over  the  fortunes  of  the  chosen 
but  erring  patriarch,  by  interposing  to  save  his  wife. 

Then  Abraham  went  back  with  Lot  to  Bethel,  where,  Separation 

full  of  its  early  memories,  he  again  called  upon  his  God.  AbmiLm's 

Now  their  great  wealth  bred  strife  between  their  herds-  magnanim- 

^  ity  over- 

men.    Abraham,  though  all  the  land  was  his  by  promise,  ruled  in  his 

nobly  offered  Lot  his  choice.      Lot  chose  the  fair  land  lireTts  (13") 

about  the  wicked  cities  just  across  the  borders,  near  the 

shore  of  the  Dead  Sea ;  and  thus,  in  the  providence  of 

God,  Abraham  was  left  alone  in  the  promised  land  which, 

he  was  divinely  assured,  would  one  day  belong  to  his  seed 

innumerable.     Then  he  moved  to  Hebron,  which  became 

his  home,  and  there  he  acknowledged  his  God. 

(2)    The  Strain  and  the  Reward  of  Faith  (15  :  i  to  25  :  6) 

Abraham,   however,  grew  despondent;   for  what  was  Promise  of  a 
such  a  promise  to  a  childless  man  ?     But  his  despondency  firmed"by  a 
was  met  by  the  divine  assurance  that  no  stranger,  but  a  ^ovenant 
son  would  be  his  heir,  and  that  his  seed  would  be  num- 
berless as  the  stars.     So  he  trusted  God,  and  God  counted 
that  as  a  mark  of  his  righteousness,  confirming  by  a  cove- 
nant his  assurance  that  all  the  land,  from  Nile  to  Euphra- 
tes, would  one  day  be  possessed  by  his  seed,  and  dis- 
39 


Genesis  i6:  i 


The  Messages  of 


Hope  de- 
ferred weak- 
ens Sarah's 
faith;    flight 
of  Hagar 
(i6  :  I,  2,  4- 
14) 


The  mes- 
sage of  the 
heavenly 
visitants 
(18  :  1-15) 


Abraham 
pleads  for 
Sodom  and 
Gomorrah 
(18  :  16-33) 


closing  to  him  their  stern  fortunes  crowned  by  ultimate 
triumph. 

Sarah's  faith,  however,  was  not  equal  to  the  strain.  She 
impatiently  sought  to  secure  the  promised  son  by  a  way 
of  her  own,  which  brought  discord  to  her  home,  and  in- 
spired her  with  a  harshness  that  drove  her  handmaiden 
away,  but  not  away  from  God ;  for  in  the  desert  by  a 
spring  of  water,  he^  found  and  comforted  the  lonely 
woman,  destined  to  be  the  mother  of  the  wild  and  war- 
like Bedawin. 

One  day  there  came  to  Abraham's  tent  three  heavenly 
ones  in  the  guise  of  travellers,  to  whom  the  hospitable 
patriarch  gave  of  his  best.  They  brought  with  them  the 
assurance  that  the  fulfilment  of  the  divine  promise  was 
drawing  nigh  ;  but  the  aged  Sarah  laughed  incredulously ; 
and  God  was  angry  at  her  little  faith,  for  nothing  is  too 
hard  for  him. 

Now  this  heavenly  visit  also  served  the  end  of  noting 
the  wickedness  of  the  cities  where  Lot  had  his  home ;  and 
somewhat  of  his  purpose  God  revealed  to  Abraham  his 
friend,  seeing  that  he  had  elected  him  to  a  high  and  holy 
task.  Then  Abraham  pled  for  the  wicked  cities  with  an 
earnestness  that  would  not  be  baffled — pled  that  the  bad 
might  be  spared  for  the  sake  of  the  good;  and  God 
showed  himself  just  indeed,  yet  exceeding  merciful,  more 
willing  to  spare  than  to  destroy . 

»  The  angel  is  identified  with  Jehovah  himself  (v.  10), 
40 


the  Historians  Genesis  21 :  34 

Finding  Sodom  given  over  to  the  vilest  sins,  and  there-  But  their 
fore  doomed  to  destruction,  the  angels  urged  the  righteous  ednesrhas 
Lot  to  flee  with  all  that  were  dear  to  him.     But  his  Sod-  fhem1?re- 
omite  sons-in-law  made  a  jest  of  it.     Even  Lot  himself  trievabiy 

•*  (19  :  1-28) 

lingered,  for  his  was  not  the  ready  obedience  of  Abraham  ; 
yet  he  was  saved,  with  his  wife  and  daughters,  through 
the  mercy  of  God  toward  him.  His  wife,  however,  looked 
back  and  perished.  Thus  was  God's  word  to  Abraham 
fulfilled. 

Lot's  choice  of  Sodom  avenged  itself  in  the  corruption  The  trail  of 
of  his  daughters,  who,  by  a  wickedness  proscribed   in  o°i£^'of 
Israel,  became  through  him  the  ancestresses  of  Moab  and  Ammon"*^ 
Ammon,  peoples  of  hated  name.  (19  =  30-38) 

Divine  preservation  from  self-incurred  peril  (20).^ 

At  last  faith  had  its  miraculous  reward.  Through  An  heir  at 
Sarah,  Abraham  had  a  son  in  his  old  age.  (21 : 1,2,6,7) 

Expulsion  of  Hagar  (21  :8-2i).^ 

Seeing  how  Abraham  prospered  under  God,  Abimelech  Abraham's 
made  a  treaty  of  eternal  friendship  with  him,  restoring  to  with^Abim- 
him  the  well  Beersheba,^  where  still  stands  the  sacred  tree  Bee^heba 
planted  by  the  devout  patriarch.  (21  '■  22-34) 

1  20  (E)  is  parallel  to  12  :  10-20  (J).  This  is  practically  the  first  point  where 
the  Elohistic  document  appears.  For  comparison  of  the  duplicates,  see  In- 
troduction, pp.  18,  19. 

■■'  The  Elohist's  parallel  to  16,  according  to  which  Ishmael  is  not  yet  born. 
For  other  diflferences,  see  Introduction,  p.  19. 

3  Two  derivations  are  here  suggested,  pointing  to  two  different  sources: 
well  of  the  oath,  and  well  of  the  seven.      The  Hebrew  consonants  for  the 
words  "  seven  "  and  "  swear  "  are  the  same. 
41        . 


Genesis  22 :  i 


The  Messages  of 


Sacrifice  of 
Isaac ; 
sorest  test 
and  noblest 
triumph  of 
faith 
(32:1-19) 


Abraham's 
kinsfolk  in 
Aram 
(22  :  20-24) 

From  among 
them  a  wife 
is  found  for 
Isaac  (24) 


Abraham's 
descendants 
(25 :  1-6,  18) 


Then  came  to  Abraham  the  supreme  test  of  his  faith, 
in  the  impulse  to  do  as  did  the  people  of  the  land,  and  offer 
to  his  God  in  sacrifice  his  beloved  son — which  meant  the 
sacrifice  of  all  his  hopes.  With  breaking  heart,  yet  in  un- 
flinching obedience  to  the  voice  within,  he  took  his  son  to 
Mount  Moriah,  now  the  temple-hill.  He  raised  the  knife, 
and  in  spirit  the  sacrifice  was  complete.  Father  and  son 
had  surrendered  their  will  to  the  will  of  God.  But  in  the 
blood  of  the  children  the  God  of  Israel  had  no  delight, 
and  lo!  at  the  crisis  he  provided  a  substitute.  So  the 
daring  faith  of  Abraham  was  justified  and  rewarded  by  a 
renewal  of  the  divine  assurance. 

.  Now  Abraham  was  related  to  the  Arameans,  whose 
tribes  like  Israel's  were  twelve. 

Trusting  in  the  God  who  had  guided  his  past,  he  sent 
his  servant  to  these  his  kinsmen  to  find  a  wife  for  Isaac  ; 
for  Isaac  must  not  imperil  the  promises  by  marrying  a 
woman  of  Canaan,  nor  yet  by  leaving  the  promised  land. 
With  grateful  joy,  the  servant  found  himself  led  of  God  to 
just  such  a  bride  as  Isaac  needed— her  energy  watching 
his  contemplation.  Her  kinsfolk  saw  in  this  the  hand  of 
God  and  yielded  her  up  with  high  hopes  for  her  destiny. 
Thus  she  became  the  wife  of  Isaac. 

Abraham  was  the  ancestor  of  certain  Arab  peoples,  and 
also  of  the  Bedawin. 


42 


the  Historians  Genesis  27  :  26 


2.  The  Discipline  of  Isaac  (25  :  11  to  26  :  33) 

Isaac's  home  was  in  Beer-lahai-roi.*  Isaac's  home 

Again  faith  was  tried  by  the  long  tarrying  of  the  heir.  ^^5-  "  ) 
But  in  answer  to  prayer,  God  sent  the  barren  Rebekah  The  twin 
twin  sons,  who  even  in  the  womb  foreshadowed  the  long  their  diffe" 
fierce  struggle  of  the  peoples '  that  would  spring  from  ("^f  21-34) 
them,  and  the  victory  of  the  later  born :  Esau  the  hunter, 
slave  of  instinct  and  appetite;  Jacob  the  shepherd,  cun- 
ning indeed,  but  with  his  eye  upon  the  unseen  and  the 
future,  who  won  from  Esau  his  birthright. 

Divine  preservation  from  self-incurred  peril  (26:  i-ii).^ 
Isaac's  prosperity  v/oke  the  jealousy  and  enmity  of  the  Isaac's  pros- 
Philistines,  but  at  last  God  gave  him  rest  and  room  for  feYand'Sr.  ' 
Abraham  his  servant's  sake.  0^6^12-25) 

Isaac's  covenant  with   Abimelech  at  Beersheba  (26 : 
26-33).* 

3.  The  Discipline  of  Jacob  {Tj  \\  to  35  :  22) 

(l)  Banished  by  Sin  (27 :  I  to  28  .  22) 
Isaac  was  minded  to  bestow  his  paternal  blessing  on  Jacob  wins 
his  first  born,  Esau,  contrary  to  the  divine  purpose  which  by^auTaifd 
had  elected  Jacob.     Yet  all  unwitting,  he  was  made  toj^^^^^^^^® 

>  Cf.  26  :  62. 

'  The  Edomites  and  the  Israelites. 

'  The  Isaac  parallel  to  the  Abraham  story  in  1 2  :  10-20.     This  (also  J)  is 
possibly  the  older  of  the  two  stories  :  cf.  20  (E). 
*  The  Isaac  parallel  (J)  to  the  Abraham  story  in  21 :  22-34  (E). 

43 


Genesis  27 :  27 


The  Messages  of 


His  dream 
at  Bethel 
(28  :  10-22) 


fulfil  that  purpose,  and  he  gave  Jacob  his  blessing — even 
the  promise  of  Israel's  triumph  over  Edom/  But  the 
craft  whereby  the  mother  and  her  younger  son  had 
wrested  the  blessing,  was  avenged  upon  both.  For  Esau 
too  received  a  blessing — the  promise  that  Israel's  yoke 
would  one  day  be  broken,^  and  to  avoid  the  vengeance  of 
Esau  Jacob  had  to  leave  his  mother  and  his  home  for  his 
kinsmen  in  distant  Mesopotamia. 

On  the  threshold  of  the  discipline  on  which  his  life  was 
now  launched,  the  lonely  man  was  graciously  assured,  in 
a  vision,  of  the  divine  presence  and  of  the  nearness  of 
heaven  to  earth.  The  God  who  had  visited  him  even  on 
that  rugged  and  unexpected  spot  on  the  hillside  of  Bethel 
would — he  was  divinely  assured — be  with  him  and  keep 
him  wherever  he  went  and  would  bring  him  back  to  the 
land  he  was  leaving,  in  fulfilment  of  his  high  destiny.  So 
he  raised  a  memorial  stone,  where  the  shrine  of  Bethel 
now  stands,  and  vowed  a  tithe  to  God,  should  he  return  in 
peace  and  safety. 


(2)  Jacob's  Fortunes  in  the  Strange  Land  (29  :  i  to  31  :  55) 

Jacob  Forth  then  he  went  with  hope  and  courage,  and  he  was 

Mesopota-    divinely  guided  to  his  eastern  kinsmen.     In  return  for  the 
mia,  serves   \^2Si^  of  the  fair  Rachel  whom  he  loved,  he  offered  Laban 

Laban,  mar- 
ries Leah  .     .    ^     . ,.     .        ,    ^    „  -.r  x 
and  Rachel          As  m  David's  time  (2  S.  8  :  14 ;  i  K.  11 :  15). 

(29  :  1-30)  2  As  in  the  time  of  Joram  (2  K.  8  :  20),  about  845  B.  C,  and  finally  in 

the  time  of  Ahaz  (2  K.  16  :  6,  corrected  text)  about  730  B.  C. 

44 


tJie  Historians  Genesis  31  :  23 

seven  years  of  service,  but  by  a  craft  that  matched  and 
avenged  his  own,  he  was  defrauded  of  his  bride.  The 
constant  Jacob,  however,  shrank  not  from  other  seven 
years  of  service  for  the  woman  that  he  loved. 

But  while  her  sister  bore  him  children,  Rachel  herself  His  children 
remained  barren,  and  Sarah-like,  sought  children  through  3oV2i)  ^° 
her  maid,  and  by  other  wrongful  means. 

At  length  after  years  of  waiting  God  gave  the  barren  Birth  of 
Rachel  a  son,  even  Joseph.     Thus  by  his  wives  and  their  (3°oTi'2-24) 
maids,  Jacob  had  eleven  sons  and  one  daughter. 

Then  Jacob  longed  to  go  back  to  his  own  country     but  Jacob's 
his  discipline  was  not  yet  complete.     He  must  wait  and  skfif  an? 
serve  yet  more.     At  the  entreaty  of  Laban,  who  marked  Tq^.p^^^^v 
the  prosperity  that  Jacob  had  brought  him,  he  remained, 
claiming  a  wage  that  seemed  but  trifling.     But  the  wily 
Jacob  outwitted  the  wily  Aramean,  and  by  craft  and  skill ' 
became  very  rich  and  prosperous. 

His  hour  was  come.     Vexed  by  the  jealousy  of  Laban,  Departure 
and  still  cherishing  in  his  heart  the  old  promise  at  Bethel,  pounJii^'°\ 
he  was  divinely  moved  to  return  to  the  land  of  his  birth.  ^^^ :  1-2O 
Once  more  he  outwitted  his  Aramean  kinsman,  and  with 
wives  and  substance   moved    westward   toward    Gilead, 
Rachel  taking  with  her  the  images  her  father  used  for 
divination. 

Laban  started  in  pursuit ;  but  God  intervened  to  save 

1  This  is  J.     In  31  :  5-12  (E)  his  success  is  ascribed  to  God.     Cf.  Intro- 
duction, pp.  19,  20. 

45 


Genesis  31 :  24  The  Messages  of 

Laban's  pur- Jacob  from   his  revenge,  and  Laban  did  him  no  hurt. 

cob'f  remon-  He  was,  howcver,  indignant  at   the  theft  of  his  images, 

f7"22-  2)    which   he   sought   for   in   vain,  being  outwitted  by  the 

daughter  whom  years  before  he  had  defrauded  of  her 

rightful  husband.     Thus  Laban  was  foiled  at  all  points. 

Jacob  remonstrated  with  Laban  for  his  unjust  requital  of 

all  his  faithful  service,  overruled  however  and  requited  by 

the  gracious  God  of  his  fathers. 

Treaty  be-        Touched  by  his  remonstrance,  Laban  proposed  a  cove- 

(^1*^3^5™  "a^t  of  friendship  ;  and  there,  between  the  two,  a  solemn 

covenant  was  made  in  Gilead,  which  was  henceforth  to  be 

the  boundary  between  the  Israelites  and  the  Arameans. 

Then  Laban  returned  to  his  own  land,  and  Jacob  to  his. 

(3)  In  the  Promised  Land  (32  :  i  to  35  :  22) 
Angels  meet     Now  that  he  was  in  the  promised  land,  he  was  strength- 
(JJ^?^!,  2)      ened,  as  at  Bethel  in  the  beginning,  by  a  special  sense  of 

the  divine  presence. 
Spectres  of       Nor  was  it  unneeded.     For  danger  was  to  be  feared 
(alfSa)     ^^°"^  ^^^  brother  he  had  wronged,  and  with  whom  he 
must  reckon.     With  his  old  caution  he  made  his  prepara- 
tions ;  then  he  humbly  cast  himself  on  God. 
God  wrestles     The  crisis  of  his  life  had  come.     In  the  lonely  darkness, 
\i^:  2i^2)    a  divine  hand  grasped  him  ;  God  was  wrestling  with  the 
wily  patriarch  who  had  so  often  wrestled  with  men  and 
won.    Besides  his  brother,  he  has  now  to  reckon  with  that 
unseen  unnameable  One  who  grasps  him  in  the  dark  and 
46 


the  Historians  Genesis  35  :  8 

who  by  a  touch  can  wither  all  his  power.  Only  then  is 
he  fit  to  possess  the  land,  when  he  sees  that  it  is  not  his 
craft  that  wins  it,  but  his  God  who  gives  it.  He  clung  to 
the  God  who  wrestled  with  him  till  he  won  from  him  a 
blessing.  The  struggle  left  its  mark,  but  it  transformed 
and  redeemed  him. 

Strong  now  in  humble  confidence  in   God,  he  went  The  meeting 
forth  to  meet  his  brother,  and  his  confidence  was  justified  ers!  ^jaSb' 
by  his  brother's  magnanimous  reception  of  him.     He?^^^^^^^™ 
moved  on  to  Shechem,  and  there  by  purchase  won,  in  the 
promised  land,  ground  he  could  legally  call  his  own.^ 

Soon,  however,   came   trouble.      Shechem   dishonored  Dishonoring 
Jacob's  daughter.     But  he  loved  her,  and  offered  to  pay  strife"witii 
for  her  any  bridal  price  that  might  be  imposed,      jhe  J^^^"^*'^" 
bargain  was  struck.     Yet  Simeon  and  Levi  slew  him,  to 
avenge  the  purity  of  the  family  stained  by  union  with  an 
alien.     Then  Jacob  reproved  them  for  their  imprudence 
in  provoking  the  inhabitants  of  the  land,  to  the  possible 
destruction  of  him  and  his,  and  of  all  the  hopes  with  them 
bound  up.'' 

Then  Jacob  was  moved  by  a  divine  impulse  to  go  to  Back  to 
Bethel,  the  goal  as  the  beginning  of  his  pilgrimage,  there  (35^1.^) 
to  acknowledge  the  gracious  God  of  all  his  way,  having 
first  cleansed  his  household  of  all  symbols  of  superstition. 

Soon  gladness  was  turned  to  sorrow  in  the  breaking  of 

1  Cf.  Josh.  24  :  32  (E),  also  Gen.  23  (P). 

'  More  than  half  of  this  chapter  comes  from  the  priestly  narrative. 

47 


Genesis  35  :  i6  The  Messages  of 

Death  of      the  oldest  link  that  bound  him  to  his  past;  and  to  the 

(35:*87and  sorest  sorrow  of  all,  in  the  passing  of  his  well-beloved 

^5^^^6-22)    Rachel,  as  she  gave  birth  to  Benjamin.     Thus  the  circle 

of  twelve  was  completed  by  a  mother  of  sorrows. 

4.   The  Discipline  of  Joseph  {yj  :  2  to  50 :  26) 
(i)  His  Sorrows  (37  :  2  to  40  :  23) 
The  dream-       Now  Jacob  lovcd  Joscph  above  all  his  sons,  and  Joseph 
fate"^joseph  dreamed  once  and  again  of  a  greatness  surpassing  theirs. 
g)ldinto       Jealous  of  the  bold  dreamer,  his  brethren  cruelly  con- 
(37 :  2-36)     spired  to  slay  him,  and  he  was  only  saved  by  the  word  of 
the  eldest-born,  Reuben.'     From  his  well-prison  he  was 
taken  by  Midianite  merchants,'*  who  sold  him  into  Egypt. 
The  way  of  the  dreamer  is  hard ;  the  hope  of  Israel  was 
in  an  alien  land — a  slave.  ^ 
In  prison  Seeing  the  prosperity  that  crowned  all  Joseph's  efforts, 

his  Egyptian  master  trusted  him  with  all  he  had.  Then 
from  a  woman  came  fierce  temptation,  assailing  him  with 
pleading  persistency.  But  he  stood  nobly  firm,*  support- 
ed by  his  horror  of  sin,  and  by  his  deep  sense  of  honor 

1  In  J  it  is  Judah  (v.  26). 

2  In  J  he  is  sold  directly  to  Ishmaelites  (v.  28). 

3  Chapter  38,  which  interrupts  the  story  of  Joseph,  is  interesting  on  his- 
torical and  legal  grounds.  It  relates  how  the  three  principal  clans  of  Judah 
arose  from  an  amalgamation  of  the  tribe  with  the  southern  Canaanites ;  and 
it  emphasizes  the  duty  of  marriage  with  a  deceased  brother's  wife.  Cf.  Ruth 
4  :i2. 

4  Unlike  Judah  (38). 
48 


(39) 


the  Historians  Genesis  41 :  45 

and  of  God.  Victim  of  cruel  slander,  he  was  thrust  into 
prison.  By  so  stern  a  way  of  sorrow  does  the  dreamer 
move  onward  to  his  goal.  For  through  it  all,  God  was 
with  him  in  the  prison,  lifting  him  to  the  post  of  honor — 
foretaste  of  his  dream's  fulfilment. 

In  the  prison  '  where  Joseph  was  serving  as  slave  to  The  oppor- 
the  governor,  Pharaoh's  chief  butler  and  baker  dreamed  serh^iiter-" 
ominous  dreams.     Joseph,  whose  dark  fortunes  had  not  dreamr(°o) 
stained  his  faith  in  dreams — for  his  insight  was  a  gift  of 
God — interpreted  their  dreams,  and  begged  the  chief  but- 
ler to  speak  kindly  of  him  to  Pharaoh,  and  procure  his  de- 
liverance.    The  butler  forgot,  but  God  remembered  ;  for 
this  incident  became  the  turning  point  in  Joseph's  fortunes. 

(2)  His  Exaltation  (41  to  50) 

It  fell  on  this  wise  :  Pharaoh  dreamt  dreams  prophetic  From  prison 
of  a  sore  famine  soon  to  fall  on  Egypt  and  the  world,  jos^eph^mier 
His  wise  men  were  baffled  ;  but  Joseph,  whose  power  to°^^^P^^^'^ 
interpret  dreams  was  now,  after  two  years  of  hope  deferred, 
recalled  by  the  man  who  had  forgotten  him,  showed  the 
meaning  of  the  dreams,  and  offered  counsel  so  wise  that 
Pharaoh  could  not  but  see  in  him — slave  though  he  was 
— a  man  endowed  with  the  divine  spirit  and  fit  to  be  in- 
trusted with  the  government  of  the  land.     He  conferred 
upon  him  the  highest  honors,  and  gave  him  in  marriage 

1  Ch.  40,  which  is,  in  the  main,  from  E,  is  in  reality  rather  parallel  to  than 
continuous  with  39,  which  is,  in  the  main,  from  J. 

49 


Genesis  41  :  46  The  Messages  of 

the  daughter  of  the  priest  of  Heliopolis,  by  \yhom  he  had 
<   two  sons,  Manasseh  and  Ephraim.     When  the   famine 
came,  his  measures  of  prudence  saved  the  people,  and  all 
the  world  was  in  his  debt.     So  in  the  patient  Joseph,  often 
baffled  but  never  broken,  God  at  length  fulfilled  his  purpose. 
First  visit  of     Now  Jacob  Sent  to  Egypt  all  his  sons  for  corn,  all  but 
thei/humu"-'  his  darling  Benjamin.     They  appeared  before  Joseph  and 
iation  (42)     5o^ye(j  before  him,  thus  fulfilling  his  early  dream.     With 
a  pretence  of  harshness  he  demanded    the  presence  of 
Benjamin.     In  this    their  sorry  plight,   the   guilty  con- 
science of  the  men   saw    just    retribution  for  the  past. 
Back  they  went  to  their  father,  only  to  meet  fresh  trouble. 
Second  visit     At  length,  as  the  famine  grew  sorer,  the  brothers  re- 
^^^^  turned  to  Joseph  for  more  corn — this  time  with  Benjamin, 

for  whose  safe  return  Judah  promised  the  sorrowful  Jacob 
to  be  surety.     They  were  hospitably  entertained  by  Joseph, 
Benjamin  receiving  special  marks  of  favor  ;  and  they  could 
not  help  marvelling  at  his  knowledge  of  them. 
Troubles  Then  he  sent  them  away  with  corn  and  money,  contriv- 

3iast?Jr  ^"'^  ^'^S  however  to  have  them  brought  back  at  once,  with 
(44)  seeming  guilt  upon  the  head  of  Benjamin.     They  saw  in 

their  dismay  the  avenging  hand  of  God.  Sorrow  and  re- 
morse had  chastened  them,  and  knit  them  closer  in  the 
bonds  of  love.  They  would  not  abandon  their  younger 
brother  to  his  fate.  But,  when  Joseph  claimed  him,  Judah 
with  passionate  eloquence  pled  for  him  and  offered  him- 
self as  bondsman  in  his  stead. 

50 


the  Historians  Genesis  48 :  1 5 

Convinced  now  that  they  were  changed  men,  Joseph,  to  The  recon- 
their  terror  and  amazement,  revealed  himself,  and  asked  jVseph^s"  in- 
after  his  father.     He  also  sent  him  an  invitation  to  Egypt,  T^f'}'^^.^  \ 
seconded  by  Pharaoh  himself.     Then  he  offered  his  now 
chastened  brethren  the  embrace  of  reconciliation. 

The  good  news  was  at  first  almost  too  much  for  the  old  The  joy  of 
man  ;  but  his  spirit  revived  and  he  said,  "  Joseph  my  son  (^^5*^°  ^^.jS) 
is  yet  alive  ;  I  will  go  and  see  him  before  I  die." 

So  with  the  divine  assurance  that  God  would  go  with  The  meeting 
him,  Jacob  went  down  to  Egypt,  whence  his  descendants  soM46^^i"5'| 
were  to  be  brought  back  to  the  land  of  promise,  after  their  ^^"34) 
long  discipline,  in  accordance  with  the  purpose  of  God. 
Thus  Jacob  and  Joseph  met  at  last. 

Joseph  presented  certain  of  his  brethren  to  Pharaoh,  The  settle- 
and  was  careful  to  plan  that  they  should  dwell  not  among  Egypt" 
the  Egyptians,  but  by  themselves  in  Goshen.  ^'^7 ;  1-6) 

Now  the  famine  waxed  very  sore ;  and  while  Jacob's  Joseph  the 
household  enjoyed  the  bounty  of  Joseph  in  Goshen,  the  (47^°i2-27) 
Egyptians   were   reduced   to  great   straits.     But  Joseph 
proved  their  saviour,  and  by  famous  statutes,  he  strength- 
ened and  enriched  the  royal  house. 

As  the  aged  Jacob  lay  dying,  he  solemnly  charged  The  dying 
Joseph  to  bury  him,  not  in  Egypt,  but  beside  his  fathers  in  bfe^s°es  jo- 
the  promised  land.  Then  upon  Joseph's  sons,  first  Eph- J^p^'^^°^"^^ 
raim  the  younger,  then  the  elder,  Manasseh,  he  bestowed  48  :  2,  8-22) 
his  parting  blessing,  with  the  prayer  that  his  own  shep- 
herd God  would  make  them  and  their  children  true  heirs 

51 


Genesis  48 :  i6 


The  Messages  of 


Funeral  hon- 
ors (50:  1-14) 


Joseph  fully 
forgives  his 
brethren 
(50  :  15-21) 


Dying,  he 

looks  for 
another 
country 
(50  :  22-26) 


of  the  promises  vouchsafed  to  his  fathers  ;  and  he  assured 
Joseph  that  God  would  be  with  them  and  bring  them  back 
to  the  land  of  their  fathers. 

Then  Jacob  died,  sore  bewept ;  and  Joseph,  with  a  great 
Egyptian  escort,  brought  him  to  the  land  of  Canaan,  in 
accordance  with  his  wish,  and  there  he  was  buried  with 
special  honors. 

Now  that  their  father  was  dead,  the  conscience-haunted 
brethren,  fearing  Joseph's  vengeance,  sought  to  make 
sure  of  his  full  forgiveness.  The  generous  Joseph  for- 
gave them  with  tears.  Who  am  I,  he  said,  to  punish.? 
God  had  overruled  their  sin  for  the  good  of  the  world. 
He  and  they  were  but  instruments  in  his  hands. 

Throughout  his  long  life  in  Egypt,  Joseph's  heart  was 
in  the  promised  land  ;  and,  as  he  lay  dying,  he  gave  solemn 
charge  that  his  bones  be  brought  thither,  when  the  faithful 
God  should  lead  his  descendants  back  again,  as  he  knew 
he  surely  would. ^ 


VII 


THE    PROPHETIC    NARRATIVE   OF   EXODUS    I    TO 

NUMBERS    32 

Between  Between  the  latest  scene  in  Genesis  and  the  opening 

Exodus  *"^  scene  in  Exodus  lies  a  great  silence,  broken  only  by  the 

»  Cf.  Josh.  24  :  32  (E). 

52 


the  Historians  Exodus 


sighing  and  the  groans  of  the  people  whose  ancestors  had, 
generations  before,  been  welcomed  for  Joseph's  sake  to 
the  land  of  Egypt.  Crushed  and  in  a  foreign  land,  they 
are  learning  the  vicissitudes  of  life,  that  they  may  learn 
the  grace  and  power  of  their  God.  In  the  background 
of  their  sorrow  lies  the  promised  land,  a  dear  memory 
and  a  forlorn  hope.  Yet  back  to  that  land  they  must  be 
brought ;  for  it  is  there,  after  the  discipline  of  Egypt,  that 
they  will  do  the  work  for  the  world  which  God  has  given 
them  to  do. 

So.  in  his  own  wondrous  way,  God  raises  up  Moses,  a  Moses  the 
truly  gigantic  figure ;  next  to  our  Lord,  perhaps  the  most  '^^^'^^'■^'" 
important  personality  in  the  history  of  religion.  Here 
again  we  see  the  sort  of  man  whom  God  calls  to  con- 
spicuous service.  The  first  real  glimpse  we  get  of  him  is 
as  a  man  with  a  mighty  passion  for  justice,  and  not  afraid 
to  deal  a  sturdy  blow  in  its  defence ;  a  man  with  a  deep 
brotherly  heart,  knightly  champion  of  the  weak  and  down- 
trodden, and  willing  to  face  heavy  odds  (Ex.  2  :  11-22). 
His  impetuosity  only  needs  to  be  tempered,  and  it  is  tem- 
pered in  the  lonely  desert.  There,  in  meditation,  he  gathers 
a  quiet  strength.  His  quick  eye  sees  great  sights  and 
sees  God  behind  them  ;  his  sensitive  ear  hears  the  divine 
call  to  deliver  his  people.  The  God  of  Abraham  is  not 
dead  ;  he  is  the  God  of  the  bush.  He  is  here  and  now, 
sanctifying  the  spot  where  Moses  is  standing.  Here  then 
is  the  revelation  in  the  strength  of  which  he  may  well  go 

S3 


Exodus 


The  Messages  of 


Moses  and 
Pharaoh:  a 
royal  en- 
counter 


The  rising 
terrors 


forward  to  his  tremendous  task — the  revelation  that  God 
is  ever  the  same,  and  that  same  a  God  of  grace  ;  as  he  was 
with  Abraham,  so  he  would  be  with  him  ;  as  he  loved  the 
fathers  in  the  old  days,  so  he  loved  the  children  in  these, 
and,  loving,  would  deliver  them.  Hesitating,  as  well  he 
might,  before  such  a  task,  but  reassured,  he  advances  to 
meet  the  mighty  Pharaoh,  arch-enemy  of  his  people. 

Nothing  could  be  grander  than  this  series  of  encounters 
between  these  two  mighty  men.  But  the  blending  of  the 
documents  has  sometimes  obscured  the  real  splendor  of 
the  climax.  According  to  the  Jehovist,  Moses  predicts 
the  punishment  which  will  befall,  if  Pharaoh  refuses  his 
request ;  and  next  day,  Jehovah  sends  it.  According  to 
the  Elohist,  Moses  works  the  wonders  by  raising  his  magic 
rod.  Of  the  ten  plagues,  the  Jehovist  records  seven  ;  the 
turning  of  the  Nile  into  blood,  the  frogs,  the  gadflies,  the 
murrain,  the  hail,  the  locusts,  and  the  slaying  of  the  first- 
born. The  Elohist  records  five :  the  turning  of  the  Nile 
into  blood,  the  hail,  the  locusts,  the  darkness,  and  smit- 
ing of  the  first-born.  The  real  progress  of  the  encounter 
is  most  impressively  seen  in  the  Jehovist,  but  in  all  that  is 
essential  both  accounts  agree. 

The  magnificence  of  this  struggle,  and  the  titanic  cour- 
age of  Moses  are  not  clearly  seen  till  we  look  well  at  the 
combatants  and  their  resources  ;  Moses  strong  in  God  and 
in  the  naked  justice  of  his  cause,  Pharaoh  the  incarna- 
tion of  a  might  at  which  even  to-day  men  marvel.  Think 
54 


the  Historians  Exodus 


of  Egypt's  colossal  statuary,  palaces,  temples,  tombs  ;  it  is 
the  monarch  of  such  a  land  that  Moses  defies.  The  foe- 
men  are  well  matched.  Moses  never  yields  an  inch  of 
ground  and  Pharaoh  yields  but  little.  But  it  is  a  struggle 
of  right  against  might,  of  the  unseen  with  the  seen,  and 
the  unseen  must  prevail.  The  plagues  grow  more  awful ; 
the  terrors  heighten  ;  they  wring  from  the  haughty  Pha- 
raoh both  entreaty  and  confession,  and  even  win  from 
some  of  his  court  an  acknowledgment  of  Jehovah's  power. 
But  at  last,  in  a  climax  of  extraordinary  magnificence 
Pharaoh  rises  like  a  giant,  refuses  the  demand  of  Moses, 
and  forbids  him,  on  pain  of  death,  to  look  upon  his  face 
any  more.  Moses  takes  him  at  his  word  and  leaves  him 
with  a  flush  of  anger  on  his  face,  after  announcing  the 
most  terrible  blow  of  all.^ 

The  blow  falls.  God's  will  is  at  length  done,  and  his  Deliverance 
redeemed  people  go  forth  triumphantly ;  soon  however  to  ^^  ^^^ 
meet  new  perplexities,  with  the  Red  Sea  in  front  and  the 
all  but  invincible  Pharaoh  behind  them.  Here  again, 
however,  God  wrought  for  them  a  deliverance,  the  mem- 
ory of  which  touched  the  national  imagination,  and  re- 
kindled faith  so  long  as  Israel  remained  a  people.  Out  of 
their  perplexity  they  emerge  with  a  ringing  song  of  tri- 
umph and  gratitude  upon  their  lips. 

But  soon  the  note  changes  to  one  of  murmuring,  for  a  The  cove- 
new  perplexity  looms  up  (Ex.  17).     This  people  is  not  yet  °^"' 

1  II  :  1-3  from  E,  unfortunately  interrupts  this  fine  passage  (J). 

55 


Exodus  The  Messages  of 

fit  for  the  promised  land ;  they  will  need  discipline  of  di- 
vers sorts.  Still,  they  are  the  people  elect,  and  when  they 
reach  the  holy  mountain,  God  enters  into  a  covenant  with 
them.  Amid  scenes  at  once  sublime  and  severe,  as  though 
nature  were  in  sympathy  with  the  awfulness  of  the  mo- 
ment, Jehovah  revealed  his  will,  claimed  them  in  that 
moment  for  his  own  peculiar  people  on  condition  of  their 
obedience  to  that  will,  and  started  them  thereby  on  their 
distinctive  national  career.  The  writers  of  Exodus  19  and 
20  felt  this  to  be  the  critical  moment  in  Israel's  early  his- 
tory. They  dwell  upon  it  with  a  copiousness  of  detail  and 
with  an  emphasis  which  shows  how  fully  they  felt  the 
moral  obligations  which  covenant  with  such  a  God  as  Je- 
hovah imposed,  and  how  admirably  the  religion  founded 
by  Moses  was  adapted  to  be  a  world  religion. 
Fall  and  for-  Again,  however,  the  people  plunge  from  the  heights  to 
giveness  ^^  depths.  The  solemn  ratification  of  the  covenant  is 
dramatically  followed  by  the  idolatrous  worship  of  the 
golden  calf — a  crime  almost  too  heinous  under  the  cir- 
cumstances to  pardon.  But  if  it  may  be  pardoned  at  all,  it 
will  be  through  the  intercession  of  Moses  (Ex.  32  :  i  to  34 : 
10).  Here  again  the  greatness  of  the  climax  in  the  inter- 
cession scene  is  obscured  by  the  blending  of  the  sources,' 
but  in  both,  especially  in  the  Jehovist,  it  is  worked  out  with 
rare  power  and  beauty.  The  unwearied  persistency  of 
Moses  is  at  length  rewarded  with  the  revelation  that  the 

1  Read  together  33  :  1-3,  12-23;  34  :  6-9  (J). 

56 


the  Historians  Numbers 


glory  of  God  is  his  pity;  and  with  the  swift  intuition 
of  love,  he  urges  this  as  a  plea  for  the  pardon  of  the 
guilty  people.  True  to  his  nature,  God  pardons  and 
restores. 

Forgiven,  they  leave  the  holy  mountain,  only  to  set  out  The  unique- 

[  •  /XT  \         T-  ness  of 

upon  a  new  career  of  murmunng  (Num.  ii).  Every  new  Moses 
scene  heightens  the  loneliness  of  Moses — reproached  by 
the  people,  vexed  by  his  jealous  brother  and  sister  (Num. 
12).  But  it  all  serves  only  to  show  how  absolutely  unique 
he  is  in  his  prophetic  dignity  (12:8)  and  in  how  intimate 
a  sense  he  is  the  friend  of  God. 

With  hope  undimmed  by  all  this  unbelief,  he  sent  spies  The  unbelief 
into  the  land  of  promise.    On  their  return,  they  dishearten  °     ^p«°p  ^ 
the  too  easily  disheartened  people.     The  cup  is  now  full. 
This  is  not  the  generation  which  can  look  upon  the  land ; 
their  bones  will  bleach  the  wilderness. 

The   darkness  deepens.     A   rebellion   is   set   on   foot  Rebellion 
against  the  authority  of  Moses.     But  from  this  crisis,  as 
from  every  crisis,  he  emerges  with  the  divine  approval 
upon  him  and  his  work  (Num.  16). 

At  length  Edom  is  reached,  and  the  promised  land  is  Near  the 
not  far  away.  But  Edom,  despite  the  ancient  kinship,  fan™'^^ 
refuses  help  to  Israel,  who,  in  bitter  vexation,  and  railing 
against  God  and  Moses,  find  themselves  compelled  to 
take  a  circuitous  route.  In  the  end,  however,  they  reach 
the  Arnon,  defeat  and  dispossess  the  mighty  Sihon,  King 
of  the  Amorites,  perhaps  also  Og,  King  of  Bashan.  The 
57 


Numbers  The  Messages  of 

land  is  near,  and  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise  is  within 
sight. 
The  prophe-     With  great  dramatic  propriety,  the  prophecies  of  Balaam 
kam*     ^     appear  at  this  point.     Israel's  power  has  been  felt,  some- 
thing of  her  strange  history  is  known,  and  Moab  is  afraid 
of  her.     The  king  summons  a  seer  to  curse  her  with  a 
potent    curse.      But   who   can  curse   whom    God   hath 
blessed  ?     There — just  before  she  sets  foot  on  the  prom- 
ised land — from  the  lips  of  a  stranger  falls  the  prediction 
of  her  glorious  and  invincible  destiny. 
The  sad  But  the  vision  melts  before  the  facts.     The   dramatic 

reality  prophecy  has  a  dramatic  sequel.     The  people  fall  before 

the  seductions  of  Moabite  idolatry — fall  too  after  a  disci- 
pline and  a  success  in  which  even  alien  eyes  like  Balaam's 
can  see  the  hand  of  a  God  that  has  no  peer.  When  that 
sin  has  been  punished,  possession  of  the  land  begins,  the 
ground  east  of  the  Jordan  being  the  first  to  be  settled. 
The  person-  Israel  Is  now  launched  upon  her  national  career,  a 
Moses  career  which  the  later  books  of  the  Old  Testament  regard 

as  a  divine  mission  to  the  world.  But  under  God,  she 
owes  everything  to  Moses.  He  must  indeed  have  been  a 
most  impressive  and  powerful  personality,  who  brought 
those  down- trodden  slaves  of  Egypt  to  something  like  a 
national  self-consciousness,  by  giving  them  an  inspiring 
conception  of  the  God  whom  they  nominally  served. 
Little  wonder  that  he  haunted  Hebrew  imagination  for 
more  than  a  millennium,  that  earlier  ages  placed  his  name 

58 


the  Historians  Exodus  2:15 

alongside  that  of  God,^  or  that  later  ages  unreservedly 
ascribed  to  him  the  laws  which  were  their  life. 


VIII 

THE    BIRTH    OF    THE    NATION  (Ex.    I   tO  Num.   32) 

I .  Redemption  from   the  Bondage  of  Egypt  (Ex.  i  :  6 
to  15  :  21) 

(i)   The  Preparation  (i  :  6  to  4  :  31) 

Long  years  after,  when  Israel  had  grown  to  be  many  israd  cruel- 
and  strong,  a  new  dynasty  arose  over  Egypt,  which  sought  ^^  ^J-^g?^^ 
to  crush  under  cruel  burdens  the  people  of  whom  it  was  ^5-22) 
jealous.    But  to  the  amazement  of  the  Egyptians  the  peo- 
ple grew  all  the  more,  for  God  prospers  his  own.     Then 
the  ruthless  king  ordered  the  slaughter  of  all  the  male 
children  ;  but  again  his  cruelty  was  overruled. 

For  the  infant  Moses,  hidden  by  his  parents  in  fear,  yet  a  deliverer 
in  faith,  was  found  and  taken  to  the  court,  there  to  be  Moses "^*" 
trained  as  a  prince.     Thus  strangely  did  God  prepare  and  ^^  •  ^^s"*) 
equip  him  who  was  to  be  the  saviour  of  his  people.     The 
glamor  of  the  court  did  not  blind  him  to  the  sorrows  of 
his  brethren.     Twice  did  he  show  himself  the  doughty 
champion  of  the  oppressed — he  who  hated  wrong  in  friend 
or  foe — and  had  to  seek  refuge  with  the  kindred  ^  clan  of 
1  Cf.  Ex.  14  :  31 ;  19  :  9 ;  Num.  21:5.  '  Cf.  Gen.  25  :  2, 

59 


Exodus  2:16  The  Messages  of 

Midian,  where  the  silence  of  the  desert  would  temper  the 
impulses  of  his  hot  heart.  Here  again  he  is  seen  as  the 
champion  of  the  oppressed.' 
God's  reve-  To  the  pensivc  lonely  shepherd  by  Horeb^  came  a  mes- 
hiinseif  to  sage  of  God  in  the  form  of  a  flaming  bush — flaming  but 
theSuo'^  unconsumed.  At  first  it  was  to  him  nothing  but  a  strange 
service  (3)  sight ;  but  soon  he  found  it  to  be  the  vision  and  the  voice 
of  God,  and  the  barren  desolate  place  on  which  he  was 
standing  to  be  holy  ground.  The  present  God  in  the 
flaming  bush  was  the  old  God  of  the  patriarchs,  who  in 
the  many  dark  days  of  oppression  had  seemed  so  far 
away  ;  but  all  the  time  he  had  seen  their  sorrow  and  heard 
their  cry,  and  here  he  was  now,  as  ever,  present  and 
mighty  to  deliver  and  to  bring  his  banished  into  the  prom- 
ised land.  But  he  delivers  through  the  man  he  has  chosen 
and  equipped  by  discipline  of  court  and  desert :  "  Come 
and  I  will  send  thee."  So  came  the  divine  word  to  Moses's 
heart.  Lonely  brooding  has  tempered  the  old  self-reli- 
ance. How  could  he,  a  crushed  and  exiled  man,  face 
Pharaoh  ^  and  bring  the  people  out  }     Then  came  the  di- 

1  After  this  appears  to  come  in  J's  story,  the  strange  passage  4  :  24-26 
which  implies  that  on  the  death  of  the  king  from  whom  he  fled,  Moses  set 
out  to  return,  and  on  the  way  his  life,  which  was  in  danger  from  the  wrath 
of  Jehovah,  was  redeemed  by  the  offering  of  the  blood  of  circumcision.  The 
rite  of  infant  circumcision  is  thus  explained.  This  scene  would  be  followed 
by  the  commission  in  ch.  3  (so  Bacon). 

2  Called  Horeb  in  E  and  D  (Deuteronomy),  Sinai  in  J  and  P. 
•  In  J  he  is  to  go  with  the  elders  (16-18). 

60 


the  Historians  Exodus  5  :  8 

vine  assurance,  supported  by  a  sign,  that  God  would  be 
with  him.  But  in  what  character  will  he  present  the 
ancestral  God  to  his  incredulous  people  ?  As  Jehovah, 
whose  faithfulness  is  constant,  in  future  as  in  past.  This 
is  to  be  his  abiding  name.  Supported  by  the  revelation 
of  the  constancy  of  the  divine  pity,  Moses  is  inspired  to  de- 
mand from  Pharaoh  permission  for  the  people  to  make  a 
three  days'  pilgrimage  into  the  wilderness  to  worship  their 
own  God,  despite  his  assurance  that  Pharaoh  will  refuse 
until  he  is  compelled  by  Jehovah's  wonders  to  consent. 

To  silence  all  popular  doubts  as  to  his  divine  commis-  Divinely 
sion,  he  was   empowered   to   perform   three   miraculous  yerhesttat- 
signs.^     Nevertheless   his    own    faith    was   not   thereby  |^"s  (4 :  1-23, 
strengthened.     Conscious  of  his  weakness,  he  still  shrank 
from   his  God-appointed  task,  to  which   even  the   clear 
assurance  of  almighty  God  did  not  brace  him.     So  half  in 
grace  and  half  in  chastisement,  God  gave  him  a  helper  in 
Aaron,  his  brother. 

(2)   The  Struggle  (5  :  i  to  12  :  39) 
The  great  struggle   began:  Moses  on  the  one  hand,  Moses  and 
championing  the  cause   of  Jehovah  and  the  oppressed ;  Sl^me^e^ting 
and   on   the  other  Pharaoh,  the  cruel,   defiant,  godless.  ^^jj5^°  S""^^' 
The  religious  plea  urged  by  Moses  was  rejected  by  Pha-  (5 :  i  to  6 :  i) 
raoh  as  a  lying  pretext  to  secure  a  holiday,  and  answered 

'  In  1-9  (J)  the  miracles  are  to  convince  the  people,   cf.  29-31.     In  E  (of. 
17)  they  are  to  be  performed  before  Pharaoh. 
61 


Exodus  5 :  9 


The  Messages  of 


The  Nile 
turned  into 
blood  (7  :  14- 
18,  20,  21, 
23-25) 


Plague  of 

frogs 

(8  :  1-4,  8-15) 


Plague  of 
gadflies 
(8 :  20-32) 


Plague  of 
murrain 
(9  :  1-7) 


by  imposing  upon  the  people  heavier  burdens,  which 
embittered  the  Hebrew  overseers  against  Moses.  The 
baffled  leader  laid  the  matter  before  God,  and  again  won 
from  him  the  assurance  of  ultimate  deliverance,  to  be 
wrought  by  his  own  strong  hand. 

Jehovah  was  resolved  ^  to  bend  Pharaoh  to  his  will,  and 
teach  him  who  he  was.'  So  he  summoned  the  forces  of 
nature,  of  which  he  was  lord,  and  not  the  gods  of  Egypt ; 
and  began  by  corrupting  the  Nile,  source  of  Egypt's  life. 
But  Pharaoh  remained  unimpressed. 

Then  he  sent  a  plague  of  frogs.  This  blow  moved  the 
proud  monarch  to  entreat  Moses  to  intercede  for  him,  and 
Jehovah  answered  Moses's  prayer.  But  the  respite  only 
hardened  Pharaoh's  stubborn  heart. 

Then  he  sent  a  plague  of  gadflies  which  tormented 
Egypt  but  spared  Goshen  where  Israel  was — sure  proof  that 
Jehovah  was  lord  of  all.  The  exasperated  Pharaoh  then 
met  Moses's  demand  half-way ;  but  Moses  was  inflexible. 
Grudgingly  did  Pharaoh  make  the  concession  demanded, 
and  the  plague  was  removed  by  the  prayer  of  Moses  at 
Pharaoh's  entreaty.  But  the  respite  only  hardened  Pha- 
raoh's stubborn  heart,  and  he  did  not  let  the  people  go. 

Then  he  sent  a  plague  which  slew  the  cattle  of  Egypt, 

1  This  paraphrase  preserves  only  the  bare  outline  of  the  story  of  the 
plagues.  For  the  characteristic  differences  in  the  representations  of  J  and 
E,  see  page  54. 

2  Cf.  5  :  2. 

62 


the  Historians  Exodus  lo  :  28 


but  spared  that  of  Israel.     Yet  this,  too,  but  hardened 
Pharaoh's  heart,  and  he  did  not  let  the  people  go. 

The  divine  patience  had  dealt  with  him  in  vain,  and  Plague  of 
death  was  his  desert.  But  Jehovah,  to  show  upon  him  his  (^^5 13-35) 
glorious  omnipotence,  sent  another  plague — this  time  of 
very  grievous  hail — which  spared  Goshen  where  Israel  was, 
but  ruined  the  property  of  all  in  Egypt,  all  but  the  cour- 
tiers who  feared  Israel's  God,  Pharaoh,  awed,  confessed 
his  sin  against  Jehovah,  and  the  plague  was  removed  by 
the  prayer  of  Moses  at  Pharaoh's  entreaty.  But  the  res- 
pite only  hardened  the  faithless  king's  stubborn  heart  and 
he  did  not  let  the  people  go. 

Then  Moses  threatened  another  plague  so  grievous  that  Pkgue  of 
Pharaoh,  yielding  to  the  passionate  remonstrance  of  his  (ioT?-2o) 
courtiers,  gave  the  men  leave  to  go,  but  with  insolent 
blasphemy  refused  leave  to  the  women  and  children,  and 
backed  his  refusal  by  violence.  So  the  blow  had  to  fall. 
It  came  as  a  deadly  plague  of  locusts.  In  haste  Pharaoh 
summoned  Moses  and  confessed  his  sin,  and  the  plague 
was  removed  on  his  earnest  entreaty  by  the  prayer  of 
Moses.  But  the  respite  again  only  hardened  his  heart, 
and  he  did  not  let  the  people  go. 

A  severer  blow  was  needed.  It  came  as  fierce  sand-  Plague  of 
storms  that  for  three  days  darkened  all  the  land  except  ia?t  do^om 
where  Israel  was.     Pharaoh  was  moved  to  offer  a  com-  f""?""^^f. 

(10  :  21-29 ; 

promise,  but  the   inflexible   Moses  would  tolerate  none.  "  '•  4-8) 
Whereupon  the  infatuated  Pharaoh  passionately  ordered 

63 


Exodus  lo  :  29 


The  Messages  of 


him  to  leave  his  presence  on  pain  of  death/     Moses  took 

him  at  his  word  ;  but  ere  he  went,  he  announced  in  the 

name  of  Israel's  God  the  last  and  sorest  plague — that  all 

the  first-born  of  Egypt,  and  of  Egypt  only,  would  die. 

"  After  that,"  said  he,  "  I  will  go  out,"  and  he  left  the 

presence  of  Pharaoh  in  hot  anger. 

Death  of  Jehovah  kept  his  dread  word.     All   the  first-born   of 

born/^The  Egypt  died,  and  Pharaoh  had  at  the  last  to  yield  in  every 

I'^^^T-    )   poi^'^  J  y^^'  his  people  were  even  urgent  upon  Israel  to 

leave.     So  in  haste  and  laden  with  Egyptian  treasure, 

they  left  the  land  of  bondage. 


(3)    T^^  Deliverance  (13  :  17  to  15  :  21) 

Israel  de-  The  divine  discipline  of  Israel  demanded  that  they 
faith  *"  should  not  go  by  the  most  direct  way  to  the  promised 
(13  :  17-22)  j^j^^^  Filled  however  with  Joseph's  faith '  that  they  would 
one  day  reach  it,  Moses  took  Joseph's  bones  with  him, 
and  their  God  was  their  guide  by  night  and  by  day. 
The  memo-  When  it  became  clear  that  Israel  had  gone  for  good 
eraJfce'^at''''  and  not  merely  to  hold  their  sacred  festival,  the  yet  un- 
the  Red  Sea  chastened  Pharaoh  started  in  pursuit  with  his  chariots  of 

(14  :  5-31)  '^ 

war.^  In  splendid  isolation  Moses  rebuked  the  faithless 
terror  of  his  people,  with  the  calm  assurance  that  their 
God  would  deliver  them  that  day  once  for  all.     And  de- 


*  II :  1-3  are  misplaced. 

9  Cf.  Gen.  50  :  25. 

'  The  priestly  historian  contributes  a  few  verses,  e.g. 


4-8  form  a  magnificent  climax  to  10  :  29. 

15-18,  22,  23,  29. 


64 


the  Historians  Exodus  19:  4 

liver  he  did,  so  that  even  the  Egyptians,  panic-stricken, 
were  constrained  to  admit  his  presence  and  mysterious 
power.  One  and  all  were  .overwhelmed.  There  lay  the 
corpses  dead  upon  the  shore — a  deliverance  for  Israel 
never  to  be  forgotten.  Their  flickering  faith  was  kindled 
by  sight ;  they  believed  in  God  whom  they  had  doubted, 
and  in  his  servant  Moses  whom  they  had  upbraided. 

Moses  sang  a  song  of  victory,  whereto  Miriam  and  the  The  song  of 
women  raised  in  response  another  song.  (is^^i^Jt) 

2.    The  Cove7tant  (Ex.  15  :  22  to  34  :  9) 
(l)    The  March  to  Sinai  (15  :  22  to  17:  16) 
Forth  then  the  people  went,  from  triumph  to  disappoint-  Departure 
ment,  from  praise  to  murmuring  ;  for  their  faith  would  SeT^wSft^ 
not  bear  the  sore  strain  of  the  way.      Moses,  still  with  °^  ^""^^^  ^"^ 

^  water 

faith  unshaken,  cried  to  God;  and  once  and  again  God  (15:22-27; 
supplied  their  needs  and  saved  them.  35 ;' 17  i^^i-?)* 

He  saved  them  too  in  war  :  for  he  proved  their  banner  War  with 
and    confidence,  when   assailed   by  Amalek  the  hateful,  (^^fstie) 
doomed  to  destruction  for  this  their  ancient  enmity  to 
Israel. 

(2)    The  Covenant  at  Sinai  (19 :  2b  to  24  :  16) 
The  arrival  at  Sinai  marked  a  crisis.     For  it  was  there  The  cove- 
that  the  ever-memorable  covenant  was  made  :  God,  on  the  HauSre^^^  ^*^ 
one  hand,  promising  through  his  servant  Moses,  to  con-  ^^9 :  2b-9) 
tinue  to  Israel,  on  condition  of  obedience,  the  grace  he  had 

65 


Exodus  19:  5  The  Messages  of 

manifested  in  the  exodus,  and  to  make  them  his  elect 
people ;  and  on  the  other  hand  the  people,  pledging  them- 
selves to  obedience.  By  the  revelation  given  to  Moses  in 
the  cloud,  he  was  to  become  for  all  time  the  accredited 
messenger  of  Jehovah. 

(b)  Its  sol-  For  so  supreme  a  moment  all  must  reverently  and 
panimeS™"  Solemnly  prepare.  At  last  in  trumpet  blasts  of  thunder, 
(19:10-19)    jn  lightnings  and  black  storm-clouds,  Jehovah  made  his 

presence  known  ;  and  to  those  divine  accompaniments, 
these  divine  words  were  given, ^  words  "^  which  reveal  the 

(c)  Its  moral  nature  of  Jehovah's  claims  upon  his  covenant  people,  and 
Xio  f i^i*^)^    base  these  claims  upon  that  redemptive  grace  enjoyed  by 

Israel  in  the  deliverance  from  Egypt.  "  I  am  Jehovah  thy 
God  who  showed  thee  my  love  and  might  by  bringing 
thee  out  of  the  bondage  of  Egypt.     Therefore : 

"  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  beside  me  ; 

"  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  a  graven  image  ; 

"  Thou  shalt  not  utter  the  name  of  Jehovah  thy  God  for 
a  vain  cause ; 

"  Remember  the  Sabbath  day  to  sanctify  it ; 

"  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother ; 

"  Thou  shalt  do  no  murder  ; 

*  19;  20-25;  24  :  I,  2,  9-11  (J)  represent  another  version  of  the  story,  ac- 
cording  to  which  Moses  went  up,  accompanied  by  priests  and  elders.  The 
Septuagint  tones  down  the  anthropomorphism  of  24  :  10,  and  Dt.  4  :  12,  15 
with  its  later  and  more  spiritual  view  of  God,  corrects  this  more  primitive 
representation. 

3  What  follows  is  from  E.     The  J  covenant  of  ten  words  is  in  34 :  10-38. 


tJic  Historians  Exodus  32  :  32 

"  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery ; 

"  Thou  shalt  not  steal ; 

"  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbor ; 

"  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  house."  ' 

These  divine  words  were  inscribed  on  tablets  of  stone,    inscribed  on 

To  the  commandments  comprising  Jehovah's  covenant,  (24"^2-i4; 
the  people  unitedly  promised  implicit  obedience,  and  the  3^-  '^''^ 
covenant  was  sealed  with  the  blood  of  sacrifice.  Sealed  with 

blood 
(24  :  3-8) 
(3)   The  Breach  and  Restoration  (32  :  I  to  34 :  9) 

While  Moses  was   on  the   mount,  receiving  a  further  Breach  of  the 
revelation  from  God,  the  perplexed  people,  being  without  thrpeo"pie 
their  leader  and  thus  without  any  visible  proof  of  the  ores-  forgiven  on 

J  ^  r  Moses  sin- 

ence  of  their  God,  made  an  image  of  him  in  the  form  of  a  tercession 
wooden  calf  overlaid  with  gold.'     On  the  return  of  Moses,  12^23^;^ 
his  astonishment  at  their  unspiritual  worship  rose  to  in-  ^*' ' 
dignation.     He  at  once  destroyed  the  calf  and  punished 
the  people.     Then  he  went  back  to  the  mount  and  laid 
before  God  their  grievous  sin  in  worshipping  him  by  an 
image,  pleading  for  them  with  an  exquisitely  tender  and 
unselfish  passion.     But  God,  in  his  displeasure,  threatened 

1  Vv.  18-21  form  the  introduction  to  the  legislation  known  as  the  Book  of 
the  Covenant,  extending  to  23  :  33. 

2  E  represents  Aaron  as  the  abettor  of  the  image-worship  (32  :  1-6)  which 
in  J  (25-29)  is  avenged  by  the  Levites,  who  are  therefore  rewarded  with  the 
priesthood.  V.  26  perhaps  suggests  a  different  cause  for  the  disorder.  It 
implies  apostasy  from  Jehovah;  the  incident  involves  only  the  worship 
of  him  by  images. 

67 


Exodus  32  :  33  The  Messages  of 

to  abandon  the  people,  promising  however  his  special  favor 
to  Moses.     Emboldened  by  this  promise,  Moses  pled  again 
— were  they  not  Jehovah's  own  covenant  people  ? — and 
won  the  promise  of  his  presence.     Thus  emboldened,  he 
prayed  for  a  fuller  vision  of  the  divine  nature,  and  this  again 
was  granted — so  far  at  least  as  might  be  ;  for  no  living 
man  can  fully  know  that  nature  ;  he  can  only  look  after 
the   divine  glory  as  it  passes  before  him   and  meditate 
thereon.     So  there,  in  the  loneliness  of  the  mount,  God 
revealed  to  him  the  glory  of  his  nature  as  a  God  of  pity 
and  abounding  grace,  ready  to  pardon.     In  grateful  rever- 
ence, Moses  prostrated  himself  and  besought   that  that 
grace  which  is  the  glory  of  God,  might  be  bestowed  upon 
the  erring  people  :  "  Pardon  our  sin  and  take  us  for  thine 
inheritance." 
The  tent  of       (So  Jehovah  forgave  them  fully,  and  sealed  the  forgive- 
SrT-")     "^^^  ^y  revealing  to  Moses  how  the  people  were  hence- 
forth to  worship  him,  and  what  manner  of  tent  he  was  to 
have.)     Now  this  tent  to  which  the  people  resorted  to 
learn  the  will  of  God,  was  regularly  pitched  at  a  distance 
from  the  camp ;  and  there  God  would  speak  to  Moses, 
face  to  face,  as  a  man  speaks  to  his  friend, 
jethro's  vis-     Before  Israel  left  the  holy  mountain,  Jethro,^  hearing  of 
aided  iS^his  their  now  famous  deliverance  from  Egypt,  came  to  see 
lunSons      Moses,  and  overjoyed  to  hear  the  thrilling  tale  again  from 
(18)  his  own  lips  he,  alien  though   he  was,  confessed  that 

»  C£.  Ex.  3  ;  I. 
68 


the  Historians  Numbers  11:3 

Israel's  God  was  greater  than  all  gods.  But  it  vexed  him 
to  see  how  the  great  leader  was  worn,  as  he  listened  all 
day  to  the  people  who  came  to  learn  through  him  the  will 
of  God  and  gave  them  those  decisions  on  which  the  divine 
fabric  of  Israel's  law  was  reared.  So  on  the  advice  of 
Jethro  the  people  were  organized,  and  over  each  division 
honest  and  God-fearing  men  were  appointed  to  decide  on 
all  matters  of  lesser  moment,  while  the  graver  cases  were 
still  reserved  for  Moses. 

3.  From  Sinai  to  Moab  (Num.  10  :  29  to  32  :  42) 
(l)  Incidents  of  the  Wandering  (10:  29  to  21  :  35) 

Jethro,  whose  aid  as  a  guide  through  the  wilderness  Departure 
was  sure  to  be  invaluable,  consented,*  at  the  entreaty  of  (N^m/io\ 
Moses,  to  accompany  Israel  on  the  march,  and  received  ^9-36) 
in  return  the  assurance  of  a  portion  in  the  promised  land. 
Forward  then  they  set,  with  their  God  in  his  ark  going 
on  before.     When  they  marched,  he  was  invoked  to  give 
them  the  victory  over  every  foe  ;  and  when  they  rested, 
he  was  invoked  to  rest  among  them  to  protect  and  bless.' 

The  people  murmured  ^  against  their  gracious  God ;  and  Murmuring 
when  in  his  righteous  anger  he  chastised  them,  Moses  in-  ^" "  ^'^^ 
terceded  and  God  answered  his  prayer. 

*  As  we  are  obliged  to  infer  from  Jud.  i  :  i6and  4  :  11. 
'  The  words  of  invocation  are  in  poetry  which  must  be  old ;  they  repre- 
sent the  early  conception  of  Jehovah. 
'For  bread?    Cf.  Ps.  78  :  20. 

69 


Numbers  11:4  The  Messages  of 

Prayer  for        Tired  of  the  monotonous  manna  and  pining  for  the  flesh 
results^"   ^^^  meat  of  Egypt,  the  people  provoked  the  anger  of  Moses 
18-2  '^^1-  <;)  ^"^  their  God.     The  lonely  leader,  weary  of  their  impor- 
tunacy,  asked  God  in  mercy  to  take  away  his  life.     God 
answered   by  revealing  to  him  his  purpose  toward  the 
ungrateful  people.     As  they  had  rejected  his  wise  leading, 
he  would  teach  them  their  folly  by  granting  them  the  de- 
sires of  their  heart.     Even  the  deep  faith  of  Moses  might 
not  see  how  ;  but  God's  hand  is  not  shortened,  for  he  is 
lord  of  all.     So  he  sent  a  wind  which  drove  such  swarms 
of  quails  about  the  camp,  that  the  people  gathered  abun- 
dance ;  and  many  of  those  that  had  surfeited  died.    Thus 
was  the  divine  word  fulfilled. 
Seventy  el-       In  pity  for  Moses,  who  was  overstrained  by  the  burden 
equipped  ^o^  ^^  governing  the  people  alone,  God  put  a  spirit  like  his 
aid  Moses^    ^^^  Jj^j-q  j-j^g  heart  of  seventy  of  the  elders,  so  that  they 
24»  25)  were  one  with  him  in  work  and  aim  ;  and  the  prophetic 

enthusiasm  came  upon  them.* 

The  great         The  Spirit  camc  also  upon  two  young  men  who  had  not 

magna-        gouc  with  the  Others  to  the  tent  where  Moses  was ;  for 

fiT-^e-so)    ^^^  spirit  of  God  is  not  bound  to  any  place.    Joshua  urged 

Moses  to  forbid  them  to  prophesy,  but  he  nobly  refused. 

The  gift  of  the  spirit,  he  said,  needed  not  to  be  mediated 

through  him  ;  his  heart's  desire  was  that  God  would  put 

his  spirit  upon  the  people  one  and  all. 

Miriam,  seconded  by  Aaron,  took  occasion  to   assert 

*  This  may  be  a  duplicate  of  the  story  in  Ex.^18. 
70 


the  Historians  Numbers  14:  i8 

their  equality  with  Moses  as  prophets  of  God.     At  once  The  pro- 
God  intervened  in  behalf  of  his  great  and  faithful  servant,  SitySM?ses 
whom  he  was  wont  to  honor  above  other  prophets  by  [ig^^ifilj^ 
speaking  with  him  face  to  face.     Miriam's  pride  he  pun- 
ished with  leprosy  ;  but  the  merciful  Moses,  on  Aaron's 
confession  and  intercession,  cried  to  God,  who  healed 
her  after  she  had  borne  her  shame. 

Before  the  assault  on  Canaan,  Moses  sent  Caleb  and  The  report 
others  from  Kadesh  to  the  southern  region  to  report  on  and  UsTffea 
the  nature  of  the  land  and  the  people.     They  went  as  far  p^opje^® 
as  Hebron,  and  brought  back  a  huge  cluster  of  grapes  and  (13=  ly^-sa; 
other  fruit,  as  specimens  of  the  wealth  of  the  land.     But  8,  9) ' 
they  so  discouraged  the  people  by  their  account  of  the  • 
strength  and  stature  ^  of  the  inhabitants  that  in  their  de- 
spair they  proposed  to  appoint  a  leader  to  undo  all  that 
Moses  had  done,  and  bring  them  back  to  Egypt.     Caleb, 
however,  reassured  them.     They  might  go  fearlessly  for- 
ward, he  said,  to  the  attack,  if  only  they  would  obey  the 
voice  of  their  God. 

Moses,  dreading  that  Jehovah  would  disinherit  the  The  penalty 
people  for  their  unbelief,  pled  for  them.  Would  not  the  (14  ;  11-45)3 
peoples  of  Egypt  and  Canaan  think  lightly  of  Jehovah  } 
Would  they  not  say  that,  mighty  as  he  had  shown  him- 
self to  be,  he  was  not  mighty  enough  to  carry  out  his  pur- 
pose for  his  people,  and  had  slain  them  in  despair  ?  "  Show 
but  the  pity,"  he  prayed,  "  and  the  pardoning  grace  thou 

*  13  :  21,  25  are  from  P,  2  Except  26-30,  34-38,  which  belong  to  P. 

71 


Numbers  14:  19  The  Messages  of 

didst  reveal  to  me,^  and  that  thou  hast  ever  shown  thy 
people  heretofore."     God  heard  and  stayed   his   anger. 
Yet  the  sin  of  unbelief  could  not  go  unpunished  ;  God 
must  be  glorified.     So  that  whole  generation — all  but  be- 
lieving Caleb — was  doomed  never  to  see  the  promised  land. 
Reckless  of  the  words  of  Moses,  which  were  all  too  surely 
words  of  God,  and  fondly  imagining  that  confession  could 
avert  the  doom,  they  presumptuously  advanced  northward 
to  attack  the  people  of  the  land  ;  but  they  were  beaten,  for 
neither  their  God  nor  their  leader  went  with  them.'' 
Rebellion  of     Two  distinguished  Reubenites,  Dathan  and  Abiram, 
AbJramiau- repining  at  their  present  hardships,  for  which  they  held 
Mose?df-      Moses  responsible,  and  resenting  his  authority,  though  it 
vineiy  vin-    had  ncvcr  bccn  wrongfully  exercised,  rebelled.     On  their 

dicated  (i6)» &        J  ,      ,  .         ,, 

haughtily  rejectmg  his  summons,  he  himself  went  to  them 
with  the  elders,  and  warned  the  people  of  the  danger  of 
contact  with  them ;  for  the  fearful  sin  of  rebellion  against 
a  leader  sent  and  attested  by  God,  was  rebellion  against 
God  himself  and  would  be  fearfully  punished  by  him. 
His  words  found  strange  and  instant  fulfilment.  By  a 
wondrous  visitation,  which  struck  all  Israel  with  terror, 
God  destroyed  the  rebels  with  all  that  was  theirs,  and 
thus  justified  Moses  as  Israel's  true  and  only  leader. 

»  Cf.  Ex.  34  :  6. 

3  E.     Cf.  J's  story  in  21  ;  1-3  which  adds  that  afterward,  on  vowing  to 
devote  the  Canaanite  cities  to  Jehovah,  they  won  a  victory. 

'  Most  of  this  chapter  belongs  to  P.     Besides  isolated  verses,  JE  has  at 
least  13-15  and  28-31. 

72 


the  Historians  Numbers  21 :  26 


The  gift  of  water  (20  :  1-13).^ 

(After  a  sojourn  of  well  nigh  forty  years  in  the  wilder-  Edom's  re- 
ness  about  Kadesh)  Moses,  seeking  the  nearest  way  to  Jissio^n  uT"^' 
the  promised  land,  sent  to  the  Edomites  for  permission  fg?  knd°"^^ 
to  pass  quietly  through  their  territory,  appealing  to  their  (2°  =  H-21) 
common  ancestry,''  and  recounting  the  sorrows  of  their 
sojourn  in  Egypt,  and  Jehovah's  gracious  deliverance  of 
them.     Haughtily  and  with  threats  of  violence  Edom  re- 
fused, once  and  yet  again. 

Sore  at  heart,  Israel  turned  to  go  round  the  land  of  The  mur- 
Edom,  fretting  against  God  and  Moses.     So  in  chastise- iJhed? the"' 
ment  he  sent  among  them  serpents,  whose  bite  caused  p^^^^J"' ^^' 
burning  and  death.     Then  the  penitent  people  besought  (21  =  4-") 
Moses  to  intercede  for  them,  and  God  heard  his  prayer, 
making  the  deadly  things  harmless  for  all  who  looked  up 
to  him  in  trust. 

Then   Israel   turned   north   and  reached   the    Arnon,  Conquest  of 
"  Moab's  frontier,"  as  the  old  war-song  has  it.    Hence  they  fjlTia-Isf'^ 
sent  to  Sihon,  King  of  the  Amorites,  who  had  lately  swept  ^^'32) 
across  Moab  with  the   fire   of  war  —  resistless  even   to 
Moab's  god — asking  for  permission  to  pass  quietly  through 
his  land.     He  replied  with  a  challenge  to  battle,  in  which 
Israel  vanquished  him,  occupying  his  land  and  capital. 

*  At  least  half  of  this  difficult  section  belongs  to  P.  The  rest  appears  to 
be  J's  parallel  (cf.  21  :  16-20)  to  the  story  which  E  sets  at  the  beginning  of 
the  wanderings  (Ex.  17  :  1-7). 

2  As  descendants  of  Jacob  (Gen.  27).  Esau  was  regarded  as  the  father 
of  the  Edomites. 

73 


well  (21  :  i6- 
20) 


Numbers  21 :  27  The  Messages  of 

The  memory  of  this  great  victory  was  maintained  in  a 
stinging  song.* 
Song  of  the  Not  far  from  thence,  by  the  grace  of  God,  a  well  was 
dug,  to  which  the  princes  also  lent  a  helping  hand ;  and 
the  gladness  and  brotherhood  of  that  hour  were  cherished 
in  song.  At  last  Israel  reached  the  glen  by  Pisgah,  from 
whose  top  the  promised  land  could  all  be  seen. 

(2)  Prophecy,  Tragedy  and  Triumph  (22  to  32) 

Baiak  sends  In  terror  of  Israel,  whose  power  had  now  been  proved, 
fo'cuSe  iS  Balak,  King  of  Moab,  sought  to  enlist  the  aid  of  the  fa- 
rad (22)  mous  soothsayer  Balaam  in  cursing  Israel ;  for  the  curse 
of  such  a  one  is  mighty.  Conscious  that  he  must 
fulfil  the  will  of  God,  yet  allured  by  Balak's  promise 
of  honor  and  treasure,  Balaam  went.  Thrice  his  way 
was  blocked  ;  and  thrice  he  rode  blindly  against  the  heav- 
enly monitor  which  even  his  ass  could  see.  Then  his  eyes 
were  opened  to  the  folly  of  his  journey.  He  now  saw 
that  it  was  God  who  had  blocked  his  way,  and  he  made 
to  turn  back.  But  no  !  Jehovah  had  a  purpose  to  be  ful- 
filled through  him,  and  on  he  must  now  go — he,  an  alien, 
to  declare  God's  glorious  word  of  triumph  for  Israel  over 
all  her  heathen  foes. 

After  the  customary  rites,  he,  from  a  height  whence  he 
saw  the  people,  foretold  in  prophetic  ecstasy  their  unique 

1  The  section  33-35,  relating  Israel's  decisive  victory  over  Og,  King  of 
Bashan,  is  possibly  later. 

74 


the  Historians  Numbers  32  :  24 

and  glorious  destiny.     Balak,  true  heathen,  hoping  that  instead  he 
the  divine  word  might  change  with  change  of  place,  led  splendid  des- 
Balaam  to  another  height,  and  again  in  ecstatic  mood,  he  a'^^Jg^and^ 
sang  of  Israel's  coming  triumph  over  her  foes,  over  heart-  v.  25) 
less  Edom  and  jealous  Moab.^     Thus  ere  they  crossed  to 
the  promised  land,  Israel's  high  hopes  of  splendid  destiny 
were  justified  and  rekindled  by  Jehovah's  words  upon  alien 
and  unwilhng  lips. 

Soon  this  fair  ideal  melted  before  the  sad  and  shameless  Israel  yields 
reality.    The  fickle  people  joined  themselves  to  the  women  Jdoiat^  '^^ 
of  Moab,  and  therewith  to  the  sensual  worship  of  Moab's  <^5 :  1-5) 
god.     Jealous  of  the  honor  of  Israel's  forsaken  God,  Moses 
commanded  all  the  apostates  to  be  slain. 

Gilead,  east  of  the  Jordan,  was  a  fine  pasture-land  ;  and  Gad,  Reu- 
the  tribes  of  Gad  and  Reuben  asked  leave  from  Moses  to  Man^"seh 
stay  on  the  east  side,  as  they  had  much  cattle.    Moses  re-  th" joSan*^ 
fused.     As  the  cause  was  one,  he  urged,  even  Jehovah's,  (32)" 
so  the  people  must  be  one  :  there  must  be  no  thought  of 
separation  till  the  land  was  subdued.   To  imperil  the  unity 
was  to  court  disaster,  like  that  which  overtook  the  faithless 
generation  that  trusted  in  the  spies'  report ;  "  be  sure  your 
sin  will  find  you  out."^     But  he  gave  them  leave  to  settle 

1  Of  the  two  pairs  of  poems,  which  are  parallel  rather  than  continuous, 
the  first  pair  (23)  belongs  in  the  main  to  E,  the  second  (24)  to  J.  The  sec- 
tion 24  :  20-24  ("he  sang,  too,  of  the  doom  of  the  Amalekite,  the  Kenite, 
and  the  Assyrian")  is  a  later  addition.  These  three  oracles,  with  the  four 
preceding,  bring  the  total  up  to  the  sacred  number  seven. 

2  Certain  verses  of  this  chapter  are  due  to  P :  cf.  18,  19,  28-30  and  others. 

75 


Numbers  32  :  25  The  Messages  of 

their  flocks  and  families  on  the  east  side,  on  condition  that 
they  would  cross  with  the  rest  and  fight  the  battles  of  Je- 
hovah. So  the  families  of  Gad  and  Reuben  settled,  and 
the  warriors  fought.  Gradually  the  rest  of  the  east  coun- 
try was  won  and  settled  by  three  clans  of  Manasseh.* 


IX 

RULING   IDEAS   OF    THE    PROPHETIC    HISTORY 

Religious  The  brief  sketch  of  the  history  attempted  in  chapters  iv. 

ofthehfstory  ^^id  vii.  has  made  it  clear  that  the  value  of  those  narratives 
is  not  exclusively  and  perhaps  not  even  primarily  historical. 
The  times  with  which  they  deal  lie  too  far  behind  the 
written  record  for  any  accurate  historical  knowledge,  in 
the  strict  sense  of  the  word  historical,  to  be  possible.  In- 
deed, the  narratives  by  their  form,  confess  as  much  ;  they 
•  deal  with  only  salient  facts,  which  illustrate  the  divine 
purpose.  Every  one  must  feel  how  thin  is  the  historical 
thread  in  the  story  of  Isaac ;  much,  if  not  most  of  what  is 
recorded  of  him  is  but  a  duplicate  of  the  experience  of  his 
greater  father.^     Nevertheless,  his  life  advances  and  illus- 

1  Cf.  Josh.  17  :  I  where  Manasseh  got  his  land  because  he  could  fight 
for  it. 

2  Qen.  26  :  6-11  and  26-33.  I"  point  of  fact,  it  would  seem  as  if  the  Isaac 
stories  were,  in  some  cases,  the  original,  and  the  corresponding  Abraham 
stories  the  more  imposing  duplicates. 

76 


the  Historians  Prophetic  History 

trates  the  divine  purpose.  The  history  is  not  written  for 
its  own  sake,  but  as  the  vehicle  of  great  religious  ideas. 
In  other  words,  it  is  written  in  the  prophetic  spirit,  and  by 
men  to  whom  ideas  meant  more  than  facts.  The  Jews 
include  the  historical  books  from  Joshua  to  Kings  among 
the  prophets,  rightly  feeling  that  the  history  is  but  an  ex- 
hibition of  the  principles  on  which  the  prophets  based 
their  teachings.  Such,  too,  is  the  history  with  which  we 
have  been  dealing.  Gleaming  through  the  gray  tradition 
are  bright  and  indisputable  facts  which  historically  cohere, 
and  are  of  high  historical  value  ;  but  of  more  value  than 
the  facts  are  the  divine  ideas  which  they  suggest  and  par- 
tially illustrate.  This  is  obvious  in  such  a  story  as  that  of 
Abraham's  call  to  sacrifice  Isaac.  Besides  being  a  splen- 
did illustration  of  Abraham's  obedience  to  a  voice  which 
he  beheves  to  be  divine,  it  has  also  the  didactic  significance 
of  setting  the  divine  disapproval  upon  human  sacrifice. 

Let  us  look  then  briefly  at  the  master  thoughts  of  the  Redemption 
prophetic  narrative.     Fundamental  to  the  whole  history  Jhrou^gh^an 
is  the  idea  of  redemption.     The  words  of  Moses  to  his  ®^^^*  nation 
bafifled  people  at  the  Red  Sea  would  be  a  fit  motto  for  the 
whole  Bible:  "  Stand  still  and  see  the  salvation  of  Jeho- 
vah "  (Ex.  14  :  13).     The  world  is  sunk  in  sin,  and  needs 
salvation.     That  is   the  great  and   ever-present  fact  of 
human  life  which  the  early  chapters  of  Genesis  resolutely 
face  and  with  which   they  boldly  grapple.     The  sin  is 
sometimes  hideous,  as  in  Sodom ;  but,  hideous  or  not,  it 
77 


Prophetic  History  The  Messages  of 

is  always  there,  provoking  God  not  only  to  anger  but  also 
to  redemptive  thoughts.  For  were  there  no  redemption, 
the  divine  purpose  in  creating  man  would  be  wholly  frus- 
trated, and  that  must  not  be. '  Out  of  all  mankind,  a 
special  people  is  elected  to  be  the  object  of  his  special 
care.  This  is  the  fact ;  but  it  is  not  till  the  exile  that  the 
reason  of  it  is  clearly  felt — that  Israel's  privilege  is  meant 
to  benefit  and  bless  the  world.  It  is  not  felt  by  the  pro- 
phetic writers  of  the  Hexateuch.^  The  wider  destiny  of 
Israel's  religion  is  indeed  suggested  more  than  once,^  and 
is  implicit  in  its  very  nature,  but  it  is  not  a  burning  fact — 
at  once  an  inspiration  and  a  consolation — as  it  was  to 
Deutero-Isaiah.*  It  is  the  privilege  rather  than  the  du- 
ties of  election  that  interest  the  prophetic  writers  of  the 
Hexateuch.  They  are  proud  of  Israel's  uniqueness  and 
isolation,  so  obvious  in  the  immunity  she  enjoyed  during 
the  plagues  of  Egypt,  so  startling  as  to  appeal  to  the  eyes 
of  an  unprejudiced  stranger.^ 
Elect  men  But  within  the  elect  nation  stand  elect  men,  through 
whom  the  divine  work  is  to  be  begun  and  continued. 
The  religious  genius  of  Israel  as  a  people  must  be  ac- 

•  Moses  is  sometimes  represented  as  using   this  argument  effectually 
within  the  narrower  sphere  of  Israel's  election :  cf.  Num.  14  :  11-20. 

2  Not,  e.g.^  in  Gen.   12  :  3,  which  means  no  more  than  that  Abraham's 
blessing  is  to  be  a  model  blessing. 

s  Cf.  Num.  14  :  21 ;  and  more  explicitly  in  the  late  verses  Ex.  19  :  5,  6. 

♦  Cf.  Messages  of  the  Later  Prophets  in  this  series,  pp.  180-193. 
»  Num.  23  :  9,  cf.  Ex.  33  :  16. 

78 


the  Historians  Prophetic  History 

knowledged  when  we  look  at  the  heroes  whom  she  ad- 
mires, for  they  are  men  after  God's  own  heart :  men  of 
deep  and  ready  faith  hke  Abraham,  whose  faith  God 
counted  for  righteousness;  men  of  purity  like  Joseph, who 
could  not  "  do  this  great  wickedness  and  sin  against  God  ;" 
men  of  stern  justice  like  Moses ;  men  who  could  plead  with 
God  in  prayer  and  prevail ;  men  who  would  give  up  their 
dearest  at  God's  command  ;  men  of  sensitive  conscience, 
who  felt  that  of  the  least  of  God's  mercies  they  were  un- 
worthy; men  who  could  endure  as  seeing  the  Unseen.* 

Such  were  the  instruments  whom  God  chose  to  effect  God  is  right- 
his  purpose.  Let  us  look  at  the  God  who  chose  them,  fuij^^nd^'^'''' 
He  is,  first  and  foremost,  a  moral  God  :  his  choice  of  omnipotent 
such  men  alone  would  prove  that.  He  hates  sin  with  a 
perfect  hatred.  He  would  rather  see  his  fair  world  des- 
olated by  a  flood  than  peopled  by  men,  the  thoughts  of 
whose  hearts  were  only  evil  continually.  An  exceptionally 
wicked  city  he  will  burn  up  with  fire  from  heaven.  His 
law  is,  before  all  things,  a  moral  law  (Ex.  20),  obedience 
to  which  means  national  and  individual  welfare.  His 
commandments  are  not  hard,  for  they  are  reasonable,  and 
the  motive  to  obedience  is  love.  How  could  the  people 
refuse  to  obey  the  commands  of  a  God,  who,  ere  he  com- 
mands, graciously  calls  to  mind  that  it  was  he  who  brought 
them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the  house  of  slaves  } 
(Ex.  20  :  2).     Surely  his  yoke  is  easy  and  his  burden  is 

1  Heb.  II  :  17. 

79 


Prophetic  History  The  Messages  of 

light.  Mercy  is  his  nature  no  less  than  justice.  It  is  of 
his  grace  that  he  saves  Noah  (Gen.  6:8),  and  not  only  be- 
cause Noah  was  a  righteous  man  (7  :  i).  It  is  "  through 
the  mercy  of  Jehovah  toward  him  "  that  Lot  is  delivered 
from  the  doomed  city  (Gen.  19  :  16).  Even  upon  Sodom 
he  pronounces  no  inexorable  doom ;  he  will  not  destroy  it 
for  ten's  sake.  Now  this  grace  of  God  receives  its  most 
powerful  manifestation  in  the  Exodus.  It  was,  in  one 
aspect,  pity  for  the  victims  of  cruelty  and  persecution  that 
caused  him  so  mightily  to  intervene. 

Mightily — for  he  has  the  resources  of  the  Creator,'  and 
uses  them  to  accomplish  his  purpose,"  whether  it  be  to 
equip  a  poor  speaker  with  the  power  he  needs, ^  to  blot  out 
a  wicked  world,*  or  to  redeem  his  people  from  thraldom. 
By  his  wondrous  and  terrible  plagues  in  Egypt  he  proved 
that  he  was  lord  of  nature — he  and  not  the  gods  of  the 
land  ;  even  father  Nile  had  to  do  his  bidding.  It  was  much 
to  prove  that  in  Egypt ;  for  to  the  ancient  mind  a  god 
was  but  the  god  of  his  own  land.  Therein  lies  the  thrilling 
interest  of  the  drama  that  is  enacted  in  Egypt,  and  the 
tragic  horror  of  it  to  the  Egyptians.  A  strange  God  has 
stretched .  his  hand  over  their  land,  and  shown  himself 
mightier  than  their  gods.  They  have  to  confess  that 
Moses  was  right  when  he  said  :  "  There  is  none  like  Je- 
hovah our  God."  ^    How  powerful  and  profound  then  be- 

:  23.  '  Ex.  4  :  10-12. 


i  Ex.  9  :  29. 

>  Num.  II  : 

*  Gen.  6  to  8. 

6  Ex.  8  ;  10 

80 

the  Historians  Prophetic  History 

come  the  simple  words  ''Jehovah  rained  on  all  the  land 
of  Egypt  /  "  ^  True,  Jehovah  is  the  God  of  the  Hebrews  ; ' 
yet  the  land  '  is  his.  It  is  this  fact  of  God's  mighty  power 
that  imparts  such  content  and  stimulus  to  the  promise,  "  I 
will  be  with  thee."  * 

Armed  with  this  might  then,  Jehovah  can  control  his-  The  divine 
tory  and  carry  through  all  obstacles  his  gracious  purpose  R-resistiVil 
to  redeem  a  people  to  himself.  We  almost  hold  our  pJ^^J"""^' 
breath  as  we  watch  how  triumphantly  it  marches  on,  not 
so  much  bearing  down  opposition,  as  lifting  it  up  into  its 
service.  "  As  for  you,  ye  meant  evil  against  me  ;  but 
God  meant  it  for  good  "  (Gen.  50  :  20).  Again  and  again 
the  purpose  seems  to  be  thwarted,  sometimes  by  nature, 
sometimes  by  the  more  fearful  opposition  of  the  human 
will.  It  may  be  the  long  barrenness  of  Sarah  and  Rebekah. 
It  may  be  the  cowardice  of  Abraham  or  Isaac  whose 
denial  of  their  wives  all  but  imperils  the  holy  seed.  It 
may  be  the  treachery  of  Jacob,  which  drives  him  away  from 
the  land  of  promise.  It  may  be  the  cruel  malice  of  Joseph's 
brethren  which  hardly  shrank  from  murdering  the  beau- 
tiful dreamer  who  was  destined  to  save  a  hungry  world. 
It  may  be  the  resourceful  cruelty  of  Pharaoh.  But  it  is  all 
one.     The  purpose  marches  on  undismayed.     The  Lord 

*  Ex.  9  :  23. 

^  Ex,  9  :  I,  13,  and  lo  :  3. 

3  Or  "  the  earth;  "  the  point  would  be  the  same. 

*  To  Isaac,  Gen,  26  :  3,  to  Jacob,  28  :  15,  to  Joseph,  39  :  2,  to  Moses,  Ex, 
4:  12, 

81 


Prophetic  History  The  Messages  of 

is  mindful  of  his  own.  The  more  they  were  afflicted,  the 
more  they  multiplied,  so  that  their  mysterious  success 
strikes  even  their  enemies  with  an  uncanny  fear.*  There  is 
a  providence  that  shapes  human  life,  sometimes  in  spite  of 
itself,  in  accordance  with  a  divine  purpose.  It  compels 
Isaac  to  bless  Jacob  against  his  will.  Nothing  is  too  hard 
for  it.  It  overrules  the  fraud  of  Jacob  and  the  fraud  of 
Laban.'  It  leads  Abraham's  steward  in  the  right  way 
when  he  sets  out  in  faith  upon  his  perplexing  errand.' 
The  most  explicit  statement  of  the  doctrine  of  Providence 
naturally  occurs  in  the  story  of  Joseph,  where  the  oppo- 
sition was  peculiarly  varied  and  overwhelming.  "  Be  not 
angry  with  yourselves  that  ye  sold  me  hither  ;  for  God  did 
send  me  before  you  to  preserve  life.  For  these  two  years 
hath  the  famine  been  in  the  land  ;  and  there  are  yet  five 
years  in  which  there  shall  be  neither  ploughing  nor  har- 
vest. And  God  sent  me  before  you  to  preserve  you  a 
remnant  in  the  earth  and  to  save  you  alive  by  a  great  de- 
liverance. So  now  it  was  not  you  that  sent  me  hither 
but  God''  (Gen.  45  :  4-8).  The  discipline  was  to  fit  for 
the  duty,  it  was  therefore  of  God,  as  was  also  the  success 
with  which  it  was  crowned,  "  God  has  made  me  lord  of 
all  Egypt  "  (Gen.  45  :  9). 
Nemesis  This  providence,  though  gracious,  is  also  stern,  for  it  is 

moral,  and  brings  even  a  good  man's  sin  back  upon  his 
own  head.  Nemesis  comes  not  always  swiftly,  but  surely  ; 

1  Ex.  I  :  12.  '  Gen.  31  :  7.  '  Gen.  24  :  48. 

82 


the  Historians  Prophetic  History 

and  not  seldom  pays  the  sinner  in  kind.  Jacob,  who 
treacherously  impersonated  his  brother,  finds  himself  after- 
ward face  to  face  with  a  wife  who  has  been  forced  to  im- 
personate her  sister.  His  craft  is  met  by  Laban's  craft. 
Rachel  outwits  her  father  in  the  matter  of  the  images,  as 
he  had  defrauded  her  in  the  matter  of  a  husband.  There 
was  a  great  cry  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  when  the  people 
woke  one  morning  to  find  that  Pharaoh's  cruel  scheme  to 
destroy  Israel's  children  had  been  so  strangely  and  terribly 
avenged  upon  themselves.  Well  might  Joseph's  brethren 
with  guilty  conscience,  tremble  before  this  awful  power  ;  * 
for  its  other  name  is  God.  "^ 

»  Gen.  42  :  ai,  22.  '  Gen.  44  :  16  and  50  :  19. 


83 


THE  PROPHETICO-PRIESTLY   HIS- 
TORIANS 


THE   PROPHETICO-PRIESTLY  HIS- 
TORIANS 


DEUTERONOMY  AND  ITS  INFLUENCE 

The  year  621  B.  C.  marked  an  epoch  for  Israel  both  in  The  law 
the  history  of  her  religion  and  in  the  history  of  her  liter-  ticaiiTth?*^' 
ature.     For  the  discovery  of  a  law  book  in  that  year  pro-  cTute^rono- 
duced  effects  which  were  nothing  less  than  revolutionarv  i^y— dis-_ 

"   covered  in 

in  both  those  directions.  Its  regulations  profoundly  af-  621  B.  C. 
fected  existing  usage  and  ideals;  its  phraseology  and 
stand-point  influenced  not  only  subsequent  literature,  but 
even  existing  records  of  the  past.  The  book  discovered 
was  our  present  book  of  Deuteronomy  in  whole  or  in  part, 
and  it  was  discovered  in  the  course  of  certain  temple  re- 
pairs during  the  reign  of  Josiah.  The  story  of  the  dis- 
covery, with  that  of  the  reformation  which  it  swiftly  in- 
augurated, is  told  in  2  Kings  22  and  23.  It  is  plain  from 
the  narrative  that  the  interest  of  the  book  centred  for 
Josiah  and  his  supporters  in  its  legislation,  not  in  its  his- 
tory. Indeed,  it  has  been  supposed  that  the  discovered 
book  represented  only  the  legislative  portions  of  our  Deu- 
87 


Introduction  The  Messages  of 

teronomy,  or  even  only  a  part  of  these ;  for,  as  we  saw  to 
be  the  case  with  the  Jehovistic  and  Elohistic  documents, 
it  is  certain  that  more  hands  than  one  appear  in  the  book.  ^ 
This  would  include  from  chapter  5,  or  at  any  rate  12,  to 
26,  together  with  28  ;  the  original  book  would  be  smaller 
still.     But  the  historical  introduction  and  conclusion,  if  not 
part  of  the  discovered  book,  must  have  been  added  not 
long  afterward,  probably  before  the  exile,  and  for  our 
purpose  may  be  regarded  as  integral  to  the  book. 
The  law  of        The  Deuteronomic  legislation  was  comprehensive,  but 
sanctuary     its  Strength  was  directed  mainly  toward  the  abolition  of 
for  such"a*   ^  \oz2\  sanctuaries  and  the  centralization  of  worship  at 
^"  Jerusalem.     How  popular  those  sanctuaries  were,  and  how 

dear  and  ancient  were  the  memories  attaching  to  them,  we 
see  in  the  prophetic  narrative  of  the  Hexateuch.  How  the 
worship  degenerated  until  it  finally  differed  little,  if  at  all, 
from  Baal  worship,  we  see  in  the  vivid  pages  of  Hosea. 
Here  then  was  a  problem  :  how  was  the  worship  to  be 
purified  ?  The  abuses  could  hardly  be  controlled  ;  so  the 
knot  was  cut  by  enacting  that  the  sanctuaries  at  which 
they  were  practised  should  be  illegal,  and  that  the  only 
legitimate  worship  should  be  that  of  the  Jerusalem  temple. 
That  was  the  place  chosen  by  "  Jehovah  your  God  out  of 
all  your  tribes  to  set  his  name  there"  (12  :  5).     Every 

1  Cf.  e.g.  the  transition  from  "thou"  to  "you"  in  adjacent  paragraphs, 
with  the  coincident  change  of  tone  ;  e.g.  Dt.  12  :  1-12  (you)  is  more  aggres- 
sive than  13-31  (thou). 

88 


the  Historians  Introduction 


other  place  at  which  the  people  had  hitherto  sacrificed 
(i2  :  8)  was  to  be  utterly  destroyed,  with  all  its  symbols 
of  idolatrous  worship — altars,  stone  pillars,  wooden  poles 
called  asherim,  and  images  (12  :  2,  3)  ;  for  Deuteronomy 
had,  as  we  have  seen,^  risen  to  an  exalted  conception  of 
the  spirituality  of  the  Godhead  (4  :  12,  15). 

Thus  the  book  is  written  in  the  interests  of  worship.  The  book  is 
Not  however  in  the  narrow  sense  of  ritual.  For  worship  pn^tiy  ^^°' 
at  that  time  was  immoral ;  prostitution  was  practised  in 
the  name  of  religion.'^  So  that  morality  itself  was  at 
stake,  and  the  book  is  as  truly  a  prophetic  protest  against 
sin  of  all  kinds  as  it  is  a  priestly  campaign  against  the 
reigning  idolatry.  The  two  were  really  inseparable,  and 
for  this  reason  we  may  call  Deuteronomy  and  the  books 
influenced  by  itprophetico-priestly,  as  distinguished,  on  the 
one  hand,  from  the  Jehovistic  and  Elohistic  documents, 
which  are  specimens  of  the  almost  purely  prophetic  spirit 
working  on  history,  and,  on  the  other,  from  the  priestly 
document,  which  is  confined  almost  exclusively  to  ritual 
interests. 

This  book  created  a  revolution  in  religious  theory  cor-  it  influenced 
responding  to  that  which  it  created  in  practice.     With  the  Jon'oTthe" 
strange  tendency  of  the  Hebrews  to  conceive  all  good  history 
laws  as  old,  the  cardinal  law  of  one  exclusive  sanctuary 
was  held  to  have  been  in  operation  since  the  days  of  Sol- 
omon, who  built  the  temple ;  or,  on  a  stricter  theory,  from 

1  Pp.  25,  66  (note  i).  ^  23  :  17 ;  Am.  2  :  7. 

89 


Introduction  The  Messages  of 

the  time  of  Moses  himself.  *  The  older  historical  records 
were  edited  and  in  part  re-written  from  this  new  stand- 
point, and  king  after  king  comes  under  the  implicit  censure 
of  the  editors  for  not  removing  the  "  high  places,"  as  they 
are  called.  Thus  a  great  literary  movement  was  set  on 
foot,  which  affected  all  the  historical  records,  from  the 
older  documents  in  the  books  of  Joshua,  Judges  and 
Samuel,  down  to  the  date  of  the  discovery  of  the  book  of 
Deuteronomy  itself,  and  which  further  affected  the  com- 
position of  the  history  from  that  date  till  the  fall  and  the 
exile  of  Judah. 
The  Enough  has  been  said  to  show  that  the  interest  of  the 

nomi?e°di-     ^uthors   of  Deutcrouomy  and  of  those  who  worked  in 
tors  are  not   thejj-  spirit,  is  uot  in  historical  fact  as  such,  but  rather 

interested  in  '^ 

history  as  in  a  poiut  of  vicw ;  not  so  much  in  history  as  in  the 
philosophy  of  history.  The  brief  narrative  prefixed 
to  the  legislation  of  Deuteronomy  offers  practically  no 
new  contribution  to  the  facts :  it  rests  upon  the  older 
Jehovist-Elohistic  document.  It  is  interesting  to  watch 
at  critical  points  in  the  history — which,  be  it  remembered, 
was  arranged  and  edited  by  Deuteronomic  editors  who 
would  deal  with  existing  material  according  to  their  own 
ideals — it  is  interesting  to  watch  how  supremely  indiffer- 
ent they  are  to  history  in  our  sense  of  that  word.  In  the 
book  of  Joshua,  for  example,  there  is  no  description  what- 
ever of  what  must  have  been  a  very  fierce  campaign  in  the 

>  I  K.  3  :  2,  3  offers  an  excellent  illustration  of  both  theories. 
90 


the  Historians  Introduction 

centre  of  the  country,  though  in  its  place  there  is  an 
idealization  of  its  results,^  which  corresponds  closely  with 
certain  injunctions  in  Deuteronomy  27  :  1-8.  Again, 
each  of  the  last  two  chapters  of  Joshua  is  a  farewell  ad- 
dress, the  former  by  the  Deuteronomist,'^  the  latter  in  the 
main  by  the  Elohist.  Now  apart  from  the  ideal  obedience 
of  Israel  in  23  :  8,  contradicted  by  the  fact  in  24  :  23,  the 
latter  chapter  has  many  interesting  points  of  contact  with 
the  history  which  are  lacking  in  the  former  (cf.  24  :  11, 
12).  The  reigns  of  two  of  the  greatest  kings  of  Israel 
and  Judah — Jeroboam  II.  and  Uzziah — are  dismissed  in 
seven  verses  each,®  verses,  too,  which  in  the  latter  case 
contain  no  hint,  and  in  the  former  not  much  more  than  a 
hint  of  their  exceptional  importance.  Almost  equal  indif- 
ference is  manifested  to  the  great  reign  of  Omri  (i  K.  16). 
That  indifference  sometimes  results  in  statements  which, 
to  say  the  least,  sound  strange,  if  not  mechanical,  as 
when  we  are  told  that  Zimri  perished  for  walking  in  the 
way  of  Jeroboam,  though  he  reigned  only  seven  days.* 

The  Deuteronomist  then  does  not  care  for  fact  as  such ; 
it  is  his  to  point  the  moral  of  the  tale.     In  particular,  he 

»  8  :  30-35. 

'  This  phrase  is  used  simply  for  convenience.  It  is  not  implied  and  not 
probable,  that  even  the  first  Deuteronomic  redaction — there  were  certainly 
two  (see  pp.  96,  97) — was  executed  by  one  man.     It  is  part  of  a  movement. 

'  2  K.  14,  23-29  and  15  :  1-7,  with  which,  strictly  speaking,  we  should  take 
14  :  22.    14  :  21  (cf.  15  :  2)  belongs  rather  to  the  story  of  Amaziah. 

<  z  K.  x6 ;  15-20. 

91 


Introduction  The  Messages  of 

But  rather  in  emphasizes  in  the  book  of  Joshua  that  the  promises  of 
vaiui^^S  Jehovah  to  the  patriarchs  were  fulfilled  by  the  acquisition 
?omk^nflu-  ^^  ^^  land.'  He  is  fond,  too,  of  insisting  on  the  didactic 
enceon(i)    value  of  the  historv.     The  marvellous  career  of  Israel,  for 

the  book  of  .,,„.,,    ^  •  i  t    i 

Joshua  example,  convmced  the  affrighted  Canaanites  that  Jeho- 
vah vi^as  God  in  heaven  above,  and  on  earth  beneath  ;  ^ 
and  the  passage  of  the  Jordan  was  designed  to  lead  all 
the  people  of  the  earth  to  the  fear  of  Jehovah.^  The 
Deuteronomist  has  a  keen  eye  for  the  salient  points  of  the 
history,  for  which  he  sometimes  composes  speeches  of 
earnest  and  dramatic  power.  Such  points  are  to  be  found 
at  the  opening  and  close  of  Joshua's  career  as  leader  (Josh. 
I  and  23).  He  is  naturally  especially  fond  of  emphasizing 
the  law,*  regarding  national  and  individual  welfare  as  de- 
termined by  the  attitude  adopted  to  it.  It  is  to  be  the 
object  of  ceaseless  meditation,  day  and  night ;  the  bravest 
and  the  wisest  need  it,  a  Solomon  as  well  as  a  Joshua.^ 

*  Josh.  I  :  11;  21 :  43-45. 

s  Josh.  2:11.     This  phrase  is  found  elsewhere  only  in  Dt.  4 :  39. 

*  Josh.  4  :  21-24,  so  corrected  text  in  v.  24. 

*  Josh.  23  :  6. 

'  1  K.  3  ;  14  ;  9  :  4  ;  Josh,  i :  8.   There  is  no  space  to  dwell  on  the  language 
of  these  and  similar  passages,  but  that  is  distinctively  Deuteronomic  : 
Cf.  Josh.  I  :  3-5  with  Dt.  ii  :  24,  25. 

"      1:7        •'    "       2  :  27  turn  neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left. 

"      1  :  II      "    "      12  :  I  the  land  which  Jehovah  your  God  giveth 
you  to  possess. 

"      1:7        «'     «•        5:1  observe  to  do. 

"    23  :  6         «<     »«        4:6  observe  and  do. 

"  22  :  5  <«  <»  4  :  29  with  all  thy  heart  and  with  all  thy  soul, 
and  many  other  phrases,  as  characteristic  though  not  so  striking :  Cf .  Josh. 
23  :  16  with  Dt.  I  :  35  the  good  land. 

92 


the  Historians  Introduction 


The  influence  of  the  Deuteronomic  editor  on  the  book  (2)  The  book 
of  Judges  is  very  marked.  Not  so  much  that  he  touched  °  ^^^ 
the  details  of  the  stories — many  of  the  stories  are  practi- 
cally intact  (cf.  Abimelech,  ch.  9)  —  but  he  determined 
the  whole  conception  of  the  history.  The  fortunes  of  the 
people  in  their  new  land  before  the  consolidation  effected 
by  the  monarchy,  ran  a  very  checkered  course  ;  jealous- 
ies within  and  wars  without,  wars  which  often  spelt  fail- 
ure and  misery.  To  this  period  was  applied  the  Deuter- 
onomic view  of  history,  which  was  that  faithfulness  to 
Jehovah  and  obedience  to  his  commandments  would  be 
rewarded  with  material  prosperity,  while  unfaithfulness 
and  disobedience  would  be  punished  with  misfortune.^ 
Fortunately,  this  view  of  the  history  is  presented  in  the 
preface  to  the  book  proper,  2  :  6  to  16  :  31,  in  a  very 
elaborate  scheme,  2:11  to  3  :  6,  which  is  repeated  in  a 
less  elaborate  and  more  definite  form  two  or  three  times 
in  the  course  of  the  book  (for  example,  3  :  7-10  ;  6  :  7-10  ; 
10  :  6-16).  Neither  the  language  nor  the  ideas  of  that 
scheme  bear  the  remotest  resemblance  to  the  stories  of 
the  book,'^  for  example,  of  Jephthah,  Gideon,  Samson,  while 
they  are  in  both  respects  thoroughly  Deuteronomic.  Here 
then  is  a  palpable  illustration  of  his  conception  of  history. 
The  oscillations  of  national  fortune  follow  the  oscillations 

iCf.Dt.  28. 

2  Some  of  these  betray  moral  reflection  of  their  own :  Cf .  the  Abimelech 
story,  9  :  56,  57. 

93 


Introduction  The  Messages  of 

of  national  faith.  Unfaithfulness  can  only  end  in  calam- 
ity, here  in  defeat  by  a  foreign  invader ;  but  the  pitiful 
Jehovah  will  always  extend  his  grace  to  a  penitent  people. 
The  idea  may  often  seem  to  be  worked  out  mechanically, 
but  it  is  the  idea  of  men  who  had  a  mighty  faith  in  God 
as  the  Lord  of  history,  using  national  vicissitudes  as  one 
of  his  means  of  discipline,  and  imparting  to  things  ma- 
terial a  spiritual  significance. 
(3)  The  book  In  the  books  of  Samuel,  the  traces  of  Deuteronomic  in- 
amue  fl^gj^^^g^  though  fcw,  are  significant,  and  occur  at  critical 
points  in  the  history : — a  decisive  battle  against  the  Phil- 
istines represented  as  won  for  Israel  by  Samuel's  inter- 
cession,^ Samuel's  farewell  address  to  the  people,"  and 
Nathan's  announcement  to  David  of  the  continuance  of 
his  dynasty.^  Nothing  could  be  more  happy  than  the 
choice  of  these  incidents,  especially  the  last  two,  as  mark- 
ing crises.  The  first  passage  presents  the  same  view  of 
the  history  as  that  which  finds  classic  expression  in  the 
Deuteronomic  programme  of  the  book  of  Judges.  It 
regards  Israel's  misfortune  as  due  to  her  apostasy,  and 
finds  her  deliverance  assured  in  her  penitence  ;  it  exhibits 
the  same  power  of  seeing  the  inner  significance  of  the 
history,*  and  the  same  indifference  to  actual  fact.'  The 
close  of  Samuel's  career,  like  the  close  of  Joshua's,  also 

1  I  S.  7:  3-16.  «  I  S.  la.  "aS.  7. 

*  V.  12  suggests  the  historical  foundation  of  the  chapter. 

*  V.  13  contradicts  9:  16  and  14:  53. 

94 


the  Historians  Introduction 


offered  a  peculiarly  fitting  opportunity  to  emphasize  the 
principles  of  the  divine  government  of  Israel ;  and  that  is 
done  in  Samuel's  farewell  address,  which  in  parts  is  an 
unmistakable  reminiscence  of  the  familiar  formulas  of  the 
book  of  Judges,^  and  forms  so  appropriate  a  summary  of 
the  teaching  and  some  of  the  facts  "^  of  that  book  as  to 
make  it  highly  probable  that  this  chapter  was  the  original 
conclusion  of  the  book  of  Judges.  Just  as  the  divine  dis- 
cipline and  pity  marked  the  unsettled  period  of  the  Judges, 
so  it  should  continue  to  shape  the  new  era  of  the  mon- 
archy. With  peculiar  propriety,  this  truth  is  emphasized 
just  at  the  moment  where  David,  now  securely  established 
upon  his  throne,  determined  to  build  the  temple  and 
thereby  associate  with  the  monarchy  the  adequate  recog- 
nition of  Jehovah. 

It  is,  however,  in  the  book  of  Kings  that  the  Deutero-  (4)  The  book 
nomic  influence  has  been  most  thorough  and  pervasive.  °  ^"^' 
The  importance  of  the  law  receives  emphatic  reiteration,^ 
and  the  cardinal  principle  of  that  law,  namely,  the  purity 
and  centralization  of  the  worship,  is  the  standard  by  which 
all  the  kings  are  tried.  It  was  only  natural  then  that  the 
Dcuteronomist  should  seize  the  brilliant  opportunity  of- 
fered to  him  by  the  dedication  of  the  temple.*  The  north- 
ern kingdom  had  its  own  sanctuaries,  therefore  all  the 
kings  of  the  northern  kingdom  fell  under  the  censure  of 

»Cf.  lacgflP.  aCf.  V.  II.  '  I  K.  2:  3,  4;  9:  1-9;  2  K.  18:6. 

*  Cf .  I  K.  8,  which  is  almost  entirely  Deuteronomic. 

95 


Introduction  The  Messages  of 

the  Deuteronomist  as  doing  that  which  was  evil  in  the 
sight  of  Jehovah  ;  and,  as  Jeroboam  is  regarded  as  the 
founder  of  the  schismatic  worship/  he  is  the  type,  as  he  is 
the  source,  of  all  subsequent  infidelity.''  When  a  general 
charge  expands  into  a  definite  one,  the  catalogue  of  sins  is 
presented  in  the  language  of  Deuteronomy.^  But  the  law 
which  would  have  abolished  all  those  abuses,  was  the  law 
of  the  central  sanctuary  ;  to  the  Deuteronomist  it  was  the 
central  law,  and  special  attention  is  repeatedly  called  to 
the  breach  of  it  even  by  good  kings,  like  Asa."  Of 
course,  it  was  no  breach  according  to  earlier  ideas.  The 
local  sanctuaries  had  been  for  centuries  legitimate,  as  we 
see  from  the  many  unchallenged  allusions  to  them,  for 
example,  in  the  lives  of  Samuel,  Saul  and  Elijah.  In- 
deed, at  one  of  them,  Solomon  himself  had  a  special 
revelation,'  but  according  to  the  Deuteronomic  theory, 
they  were  all  illegal. 
TwoDeuter  This  last  illustration  is  interesting,  as  it  suggests  an 
daSdonsTf  inference  which  other  allusions  throughout  the  books  of 
^'"^'  Kings  convert  into  a  certainty — namely,  that  there  were 

two  Deuteronomic  redactions  of  these  books.  One  of  these 
regarded  worship  at  the  high  places  as  wrong  only  after 
the  building  of  the  temple ;  thus  i  Kings  3  :  2  excuses 
such  worship  in  Solomon's  early  days  on  that  account.    A 

1  I  K.  12  :  28,  29.  2  2  K.  13  :  2;  14  :  24 ;  IS :  24,  etc. 

•  E.g.y  charge  against  Rehoboam,  x  K.  14:  22,  23;  cf.  Dt.  12:  2,  3;  23  :  17. 

«  I  K.  15  :  14.  5  At  Gibeon,  i  K.  3 :  5. 

96 


the  Historians  Introduction 


severer  conception  of  the  law,  however,  regards  such  wor- 
ship as,  under  all  circumstances,  illegitimate  ;  thus,  verse 
3  censures  Solomon  for  it.  Whereas  verse  4  with  the 
following  story  regards  it  as  a  matter  of  course.  There 
were  then  two  Deuteronomic  redactions  of  the  books  of 
Kings  :  one  reaching  to  about  the  end  of  2  Kings  23 — 
before  the  exile,  perhaps  about  600  (the  temple  is  still 
standing,  i  K.  8  :  29) ;  and  another,  which  cannot  have 
been  earlier  than  560,  for  it  carries  the  history  down  to 
the  pardon  of  Jehoiachin  in  561.^  This  second  hand 
wrote  the  last  two  chapters  of  the  book,  and  touched  it 
here  and  there  throughout,  for  some  passages  clearly  imply 
that  the  catastrophe  has  come.''  To  this  class  belongs  the 
brief  sad  comment  on  the  impotence  of  Josiah's  reforma- 
tion to  avert  the  impending  blow,'  so  unlike  the  joyful 
copiousness  with  which  the  story  of  the  reformation  was 
told.* 

Both  these  hands  and  a  still  later  one  *  are  obvious  in  a  Later  addi- 
chapter  which  for  its  importance  as  a  summary  presenta-  2  K.^'17^'' 
tion  of  the  philosophy  of  Israel's  history,  deserves  special 
mention,  namely  2  Kings  17.     With  the  Deuteronomic 
skill  for  selecting  special  crises  for  comment,  the  fall  of 
the  northern  kingdom  is  seized  upon  as  a  vivid,  nay,  ter- 

»  2  K.  25  :  27.  '  I  K.  9  :  7-9.  s  2  K.  23  :  26,  27. 

♦These  redactions  are  known  to  criticism  as  D  and  D^,  and  are  repre- 
sented in  this  volume  by  standard  italic  and  small  italic  type  respectively. 
*  Indicated  in  this  volume  by  small  plain  type. 

97 


Introduction 


The  Messages  of 


Subtle  in- 
fluence of 
the  redac- 
tion 


rible  illustration  of  the  ways  of  God  with  Israel.  Verses 
i8,  21-23,  which  originally  followed  verse  6,  represent  the 
ordinary  Deuteronomic  judgment  which  finds  the  sin  of 
Israel  to  consist  in  "walking  in  all  the  sins  of  Jeroboam." 
Verses  7-20,  except  18,  though  still  moving  in  the  lan- 
guage and  the  thought  of  Deuteronomy,  trace  the  calam- 
ity to  more  specific  sources,  like  star-worship  and  the  neg- 
lect of  the  prophetic  word,  and  there  is  at  least  a  hint  of 
Judah's  fate  in  verse  19.  In  a  later  passage  still,  34'' -40, 
the  fall  of  the  kingdom  is  ascribed  to  the  neglect  of  the 
written  word.  The  chapter  shows  impressively  how  the 
fall  of  the  northern  kingdom  haunted  the  minds  and  im- 
aginations of  men  who  believed  in  the  divine  discipline  of 
Israel,  and  how  by  different  ways  they  arrived  at  the  con- 
clusion that  it  corroborated  divine  justice. 

Sometimes  the  Deuteronomic  setting  of  an  incident 
completely  transforms  the  nature  of  that  incident.  For 
example,  the  section  introducing  Solomon's  troubles  (i  K. 
II  :  14  ff.),  taken  probably  from  a  biography  of  Solomon, 
suggests,  by  its  setting,  that  those  troubles  were  the  direct 
retribution  of  the  apostasy  described  in  the  previous  sec- 
tion I- 1 3.  That,  however,  was  not  the  idea  of  the  biog- 
raphy ;  the  previous  section  is  Deuteronomic.  Similarly, 
the  sequence  of  the  narrative  in  2  Kings  21  :  19-24  sug- 
gests that  the  murder  of  Amon  was  the  penalty  he  paid  for 
forsaking  the  God  of  his  fathers.  So  again,  the  success 
of  Joash  in  recovering  cities  from  Aram — a  success  really 

98 


the  Historians  Introduction 

due  to  Assyrian  campaigns  against  Aram — is  attributed 
to  the  covenant  which  Jehovah  had  made  vi^ith  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob.*  There  was  a  growing  tendency  to 
effect  a  sometimes  forcible  correspondence  between  desert 
and  destiny.  The  Septuagint  of  i  Kings  22  :  38  shows 
how  Ahab's  memory  grew  more  and  more  hateful,'^  and 
one  Greek  version  of  2  Kings  17  :  1-2  represents  King 
Hosea,  about  whom  the  early  decision  was  probably  a 
favorable  one  (cf.  v.  2),  as  worse  than  all  the  others,  be- 
cause under  him  the  doom  of  the  northern  kingdom  was 
sealed.  Perhaps  the  most  instructive  illustration  of  this 
theoretical  attitude  to  history  is  to  be  found  in  Judges 
2  :  1-5,  which,  though  probably  later  than  the  Deutero- 
nomic  redactions,  was  written  in  their  spirit.  There  the 
people  are  reproved  by  an  angel  for  making  a  league  with 
the  inhabitants  of  the  land,  instead  of  driving  them  out. 
The  penalty  is  that  the  nations  whom  they  have  spared, 
are  to  be  a  snare  to  them.  But  the  older  sources  tell  us 
plainly  that  they  could  not  drive  them  out.^  The  Deu- 
teronomist  accepts  the  fact  that  they  did  not,  and  puts 
upon  it  his  own  religious  interpretation. 

1  a  K.  13  :  23-25.  '  Cf.  2  K.  21 :  3. 

3  Josh.  IS  ;  63 ;  cf.  1  K.  9  :  21. 


99 


Throughout  Deuteronomy  and  the  historical  books  from 
Joshua  to  Kings,  the  original  sources  are  printed  in  ordi- 
nary type  and  the  Deuteronomic  elements  in  italics.  Later 
supplemental  matter  is  put  into  smaller  plain  or  italic  type. 
A  few  passages  where  two  complete  stories  have  been 
fused  together  are  printed  in  parallel  columns. 


lOO 


Deuteronomy  i :  35 


II 


THE    LAST    WORDS    AND    DEATH    OF    MOSES 

(Deuteronomy) 

I.  Moses's  Address  to  the  People  (Dt.  i  :  i  to  4  :  40) 
(i)  Historical  Retrospect  (i  to  3) 

After '  the  defeat  of  the  two  mighty  kmgs  east  of  for  dan,  Moses  re- 
Moses  addressed  the  people  in  the  plains  of  Moab.    Their  cenThistory" 
departure  for  the  proinised  land,  he  reminded  them,  ^^^  how  It"  Ukfs- 
been  divinely  enjoi?ted  on  Moiait  Horeb.     At  that  time,  trates  jeho- 

•^        •'  van  s  love 

cumbered  with  his  heavy  resp07tsibility,  he  had,  07i  his  for  Israel. 
own  "^  initiative,  instituted  judges  to  decide  impartially  to  Kadesh 
all  ordinary  cases,  reserving  the  more  difficult  for  him-  ^^^ 
self.     After  the  horrors  of  the  wilderness  march   they 
had  reached  Kadesh,  whence  twelve  jnen  had  been  de- 
spatched to  spy  out  the  land.      These  men  had  visited  the 
south,  a7id  brought  back  a  good  report  of  the  land,  but  dis- 
heartened the  people  by  their  account  of  the  inhabitants. 
His  own  efforts — he  went  on — to  hearte?i  the7n  by  an  ap- 
peal to  Jehovah's  power  andpro77iise,  and  to  his  tender  love 
for  the77i  in  the  past,  had  bee7i  of  no  avail.      Wherefore 
divine  judg77ient  was  pro7iounced  upoti  all  that  ge7iera' 

1  This  retrospect  is  based  on  JE,  and  is  worked  over  by  the  Deuterono- 
mist  in  a  didactic  spirit.  The  older  sources  in  Deuteronomy  and  Joshua 
are  still  J  and  E  or  JE  as  in  Gen.  to  Num. 

2  On  Jethro's,  in  Ex.  i8  :  22. 

lOI 


Deuteronomy  i :  36  TJie  Messages  of 

Hon  excepti7ig   Caleb,   even   upon   Moses  himself,   and 
foshua  was  designated  leader.      The  people,  after  con- 
fession, had  gone  up  to  the  attack ;   but  forsaken  of 
fehovah  whose  displeasure  they  had  braved,  they  had 
been  defeated,  whereafter  they  had  7nade  a  long  stay 
at  Kadesh. 
FromKa-         After  waftdering  about  the  southern    mountains  of 
Amon  (2)     Edom  until  all  that   rebel  generation    was   dead,  they 
turned  their  faces  ?iorthward,  again  remiftded  by  Moses 
of  the  bountiful  love  of  Jehovah,  proved  already  in  the 
wilderness,  and  proved  now  again  i)i  the  friendly  '  atti- 
tude of  the  Edomites,  and  marched  peacefully  past  the 
land  assigned  by  Jehovah  to  their  old  kins?ne?i  Moab  and 
Amnion,  ijispiring  terror  everywhere.    But  Sihon,  King 
of  the  Amorites,  refused  to  allow  thejn  to  pass  through 
his  laftd,  a  fid  Jehovah  gave  Israel  the  victory  over  him. 
and  his  cities  one  a7id  all ;  and  they  were  all  put  under 
the  ban.^ 
Triumphs         Such,  too,  was  the  fate  of  the  giant  Og  and  his  great 
menron^     w ailed  citics  in  Bashan.      Thus  was  the  land  east  of  the 
East  Jordan  Jq^^^^i  conqucred fro7n  the  Artion  i7i  the  south  to  Moimt 
Her7non  in  the  far  north,  and  assigned  to  the  tribes  of 
Reube7i,  Gad,  and  the  half  tribe  of  Manasseh.     Moses, 
however,  had  urged  these  tribes  ^  to  cross  the  Jordan  and 
aid  their  brethren,  leaving  their  wives  and  property  on 

1  Hostile  in  Num.  20  :  14-21.  '  Cf.  Dt.  20 :  16-18. 

»  The  suggestion  comes  from  the  tribes  themselves  in  Num.  32  :  16,  17. 
102 


tJie  Historians  Deuteronomy  4 :  33 

the  east  side  ;  he  had  also  strengthened  Joshua  for  his 
futtire  task  by  an  appeal  to  Jehovah's  recent  victories. 
Yearning  to  see  the  consummation  of  Jehovah's  won- 
drous, gracious  work  begun,  he  had  earnestly  prayed 
that  he  might  be  suffered  to  cross  the  Jordan  ;  but 
sternly  had  his  prayer  been  refused.  He  might  but  look 
upon  the  goodly  land ;  his  it  was,  however,  to  hearten 
the  future  leader  Joshua. 

(2)  Exhortation  (4  :  1-40) 

Then  with  the  most  impressive  earnestness,  Moses  be-  Moses  urges 
sought  them  to  keep  diligently  the  divine  statutes  and^^°^^^^^_ 
judgments  which  he  was  about  to  teach  them  ;^  for  t'w  ^^'^y  °f  J^- 
their  nearness  to  God  and  on  their  righteous  laws  de-  (4 : 1-31) 
pended  the  national  life  aiid  welfare  and  Israel's  place 
among  the  peoples.     Especially  did  he  charge  thetn  to 
remember  the  lesson  of  Horeb — that  Jehovah   was  an 
unseen  spiritual  God,  and  that  therefore  there  mtist  be 
no  worship  of  any  material  thing,  be  it  itnage  of  man  or 
beast,  or  be  it  the  stars  of  heaven.      This  law  was  fun- 
damental.    The  breach  of  it  would  bring  upon  the  people 
exile  from  the  promised  land ;  yet  from  that  exile  their 
merciful  God  would  bring  theju  back,  if  they  sought  him 
luith  penitent  zeal. 

Surely  no  nation  had  ever  had  proof  so  convincing  ^Andhisab- 
the  existence  of  its  God  as  Israel  had  had  of  Jehovah,  X^T^^l^ 

»  The  legislation  in  the  book  of  Dt.  (5  to  26,  and  28). 
103 


Deuteronomy  4  :  34  The  Messages  of 

whose  mighty  hand  and  stretched  out  arm  had  so  won- 
drously  wrought  for  Israel  in  Egypt,  making  it  clear  that 
Jehovah  was  the  one  a7id  only  God.  "  His  mighty  love," 
said  Moses  i7i  conclusion, "  manifested  in  his  choice  of  you, 
should  inspire  you  to  obey  the  statutes  and  command- 
ments which  I  commaiid  you  this  day,  that  you  and  your 
posterity  may  prosper  and  prolong  your  days  for  ever  on 
the  ground  which  Jehovah  your  God  is  giving  you  " 

2.  Renewed  Exhortation  (27  :  5-13  and  29  :  i  to  32  :  47) 

SymboUc  Moses  instructed  the  people  to  set  up  an  altar  to  Jeho- 

Ebar*""^  °"  vah  on  Mount  Ebal,  when  they  crossed  to  the  promised 
Si'  r^'       ^^^^  '  ^^^^  ^°  v^x'w.^  the  law  upon  tablets,  and  to  ratify  the 
covenant  in  worship,  solemnly  invoking  the  blessing  upon 
obedience  and  the  curse  upon  disobedience/ 
Israel  Jeho-       On  that  day,  Israel  was  constituted  the  people  of  Jeho- 
(?7^\f^of^^ z/a/z,  and  called  to  obey  his  co?n?nandments  and  statutes. 
Exhortation      After  laying  down  the  statutes,"^  Moses  agai?i  tirged 
and  warning  ^^p^^^  the  people  Jehovah's  great  and  manifold  goodness 
to  the7n  as  a  motive  to  obedience.     The  covenant  to  be 
established  that  day  between  Jehovah  and  Israel,  in  ac- 
cordance with  his  ancient  promise  to  the  patriarchs,  was 
to  be  binding  also  upon  posterity  ;  any  lapse  into  idolatry 
would  be  very  grievously  punished. 

»  Instructions   fulfilled  in  Josh.  8  :  30-35 ;  cf.  the  ratification  at  Horeb, 
Ex.  24  :  3-8. 
9  Dt.  5  to  26,  and  28. 

104 


the  Historians  Deuteronomy  32  :  47 

Yet  if  they  but  sought  him  with  penitent  zeal,  he  would  Promise  and 
in  pity  bri?ig  them  back  from  exile  to  their  own  land  and 
there  reward  their  obedience  with  prosperity.  It  was  no 
hard  or  perplexing  com7nandment  this,  to  love  fehovah 
and  to  do  his  will ;  yet  it  involved  the  highest  issues,  for 
obedience  meant  life  and  disobedience  death.  Then  he 
closed  with  a  solemn  appeal  to  choose  life} 

Then  the  worn  and  aged  man  gave  foshua  his  part-  Last  words 
ing  charge,  strengthening  both  him  and  the  people  with  agement 
the  assurajtce  of  Jehovah's  abiditig  presence,  and  or-  ^^^ '  ^'^'^' 
dained  that  the  law  should  be  read  before  the  assembled 
people  once  every  seven  years. 

Joshua  received  the  divine '  commission  to  face  with  joshua-s 
courage  the  completion  of  the  task  which  Moses  had  be-  (jr^nfTs, 
gun,  and  with  the  assurance  that  the   ancient   promise  ^3) 
would  be  brought  to  fulfilment  through  him.' 

Moses  ordained  that  the  copy  of  the  law,  which  he  instructions 
committed  to  writing,  should  be  preserved  by  the  priests  \^  '"^ 
in  the  sanctuary  as  a  witness  against  the  corruption  and  ^^^ '  ^'*'^9) 
apostasy  which  he  foresaw. 

Then  for  the  last  time  he  laid  it  upon  their  hearts  to  Last  exhor- 
obey  the  law  and  to  teach  their  children  so  to  do,  "for,"  (32^°"  5.47) 
said  he,  "  //  is  your  life. " 

^  This  chapter  expands  the  thought  of  4  :  29-31. 

2  "  He  "  of  V,  23  is  not  Moses,  but  Jehovah  (cf.  v.  14). 

8  Vv.  16-22  introduce  the  song,  ch.  32. 


105 


Deuteronomy  34  :  i 


The  Messages  of 


3.    The  Death  of  Moses  (34) 

Pathos  of  Moses,  aged  but  strong,^  climbed  Pisgah,  and  saw  with 
Moses  dies  his  own  eyes  the  noble  land  which  Jehovah  promised  so 
^34)  long  ago  to  Abraham's  seed,  and  into  which  he  had  now 

all  but  led  the  people  ;  but  it  was  not  given  him  of  God  to 
set  foot  upon  it  himself.  He  died  and  was  buried  in  an 
unknown  grave.  Of  all  the  prophets,  he  was  the  greatest, 
alike  in  his  intimacy  with  God,  and  in  the  wonders  that 
he  wrought. 


Ill 


INTRODUCTION    TO    THE    BOOK    OF    JOSHUA 

The  contin-  Both  the  documents  which,  singly  or  in  combination, 
and°E  hi  the  Contributed  the  prophetic  history  in  the  first  four  books 
joSuia^  of  the  Hexateuch,  are  continued  in  the  Book  of  Joshua, 
possibly  also  in  the  Book  of  Judges,  and  some  think 
even  in  Samuel.  Their  presence  has  the  same  effect 
as  it  had  in  the  previous  books  ;  on  the  one  hand,  of 
strengthening  the  evidence  for  the  incidents  which  they 
record,  and  on  the  other,  of  sometimes  obscuring  the 
outlines  of  those  incidents.  The  scene,  for  example,  at 
the  crossing  of  the  Jordan  is  anything  but  clear.  Al- 
ready in  3  :  17  the  people  are  over  the  river ;  in  4  : 4,  5  the 

*  Contrast  31  :  2. 
106 


the  Historians  Joshua 

implication  is  that  they  are  only  about  to  cross.  3:12  and 
4:2  are  obvious  duplicates.  4  :  9  places  the  memorial 
stones  in  the  Jordan,  4  :  20  places  them  at  Gilgal.  On 
this  blending  of  sources  we  need  not  further  dwell.* 

A  word,  however,  has  still  to  be  said  about  apparent  The  Deuter- 
contradictions  between  stories  from  these  sources  and  Deu-  eremint 
teronomic  passages,  which,  as  we  have  seen,  imply  a  differ- 
ent point  of  view.  For  example,  13  :  11  asserts  that  the 
Geshurites  and  Maacathites  were  driven  out  by  Israel,  a 
statement  which  is  flatly  contradicted  by  the  next  verse 
but  one.  Compare  also  the  two  accounts  of  Caleb's  inher- 
itance, the  older  in  Joshua  15  :  13-19  (=  Jud.  i  :  10-15) 
and  the  Deuteronomic  in  Joshua  14  :  6-15.  Once  for  all 
be  it  said  that  these  and  similar  passages  are  not  to  be 
pressed  as  contradictions.  The  Deuteronomist  does  not 
strictly  contradict  the  older  history ;  he  idealizes  it. 
When  he  touches  it,  it  is  not  as  a  historian,  but  as  a  the- 
orist ;  not  to  add  corrective  fact,  but  to  show  the  inner 
side,  the  ideal  truth,  the  eternal  significance  of  certain 
typical  scenes.  We  know  that  the  conquest  of  Canaan 
took  a  long  time  ^  and  was  not  completely  effected  until 
long  after  Joshua's  death.  The  oldest  sources  frankly 
admit  that  in  many  districts  it  was  never  thoroughly  ef- 
fected at  all.^  Yet  the  Deuteronomist  asserts  that  it  was 
entirely  effected  within  one  generation  and  under  Joshua, 

*  Cf.  ch.  6,  the  capture  of  Jericho. 
>  Josh.  II  :  18.  3  Jud.  I  :  27-36. 

107 


Joshua  The  Messages  of 

so  that  Jehovah's  ancient  promise  stood  fulfilled.^  And 
so  it  did,  for  the  man  who  had  eyes  to  see  it.  The  factors 
were  all  at  work  which  would  ultimately  compel  success. 
Jehovah  was  on  the  scene  governing  and  guiding  this  na- 
tional movement  and  aspiration  for  great  ends  of  his  own  ; 
and  the  work  which  he  had  begun  would  assuredly  be 
completed,  indeed  was  already  ideally  complete.  No  man 
need  take  offence  at  the  Deuteronomist's  presentation  of 
history.  The  work  of  the  historian  was  over  before  he 
comes  upon  the  scene.  It  is  his  to  interpret  the  history, 
and  to  see  it  sub  specie  ceternitatis. 
Israel's  early  The  ground  has  now  been  cleared  for  a  brief  sketch  of 
thelnvasiii  ^^^e  history  traversed  by  the  prophetic  narratives  of  the 
Book  of  Joshua.  Moses  is  dead,  but  the  work  goes  on  ; 
divinely  gifted  leaders  are  never  wanting.  "  After  the 
death  of  Moses,  Jehovah  spake  to  Joshua."  '  The  inter- 
est grows  intense  ;  within  three  days  the  hope  of  centuries 
is  to  be  realized.  The  fame  of  Israel  has  gone  before  her. 
A  confession  of  the  terrible  power  that  is  hers  in  her  God 
is  wrung  from  the  lips  of  a  native  of  the  doomed  country.' 
Nothing  can  stay  this  people's  progress.  With  sure  hope  * 
Joshua  arranges  for  the  march,  and  his  hope  is  not  put  to 
shame.  The  Jordan  yields  as  the  Red  Sea  had  yielded  ; 
and  they  stand  triumphant  on  the  land  of  their  fathers. 
The  native  kings  tremble  at  their  approach,^  as  well  they 
might ;  for  behold,  no  less  an  one  than  the  prince  of  the 

1  Josh.  21  :  43-45.  a  Josh.  1:1.  82:9.  *  3  :  5-  *  5  :  i« 

108 


the  Historians  Joshua 

angelic  host  is  standing  by  Joshua  with  a  drawn  sword  in 
his  hand.  Israel's  leader  is  not  alone  ;  he  has  unseen  re- 
sources.* How  powerful  those  resources  are  is  shown  by 
the  swift  fall  of  the  first  city  they  attack,  the  walled  Jeri- 
cho. There  was  fighting  "^ ;  but  the  story  is  so  told  as  to 
emphasize  the  mysterious  presence  of  the  divine  help. 

With  one  of  those  dramatic  contrasts  which  we  saw  Her  varied 
before  to  be  so  characteristic  of  the  prophetic  narrative,  °'''""^^ 
the  success  at  Jericho  is  followed  by  the  tragedy  at 
Ai — a  tragedy  deeper  than  at  first  they  know;  for  it 
was  not  merely  the  failure  of  an  attack  and  the  loss  of 
men,  but  the  breach  of  a  great  moral  law,  with  the  loss 
of  stability  and  power  which  such  a  breach  always  en- 
tails. Avarice  led  to  sacrilege,  and  by  the  sin  of  one 
man  the  fate  of  a  people  was  imperilled.  But  when  the 
terrible  punishment  has  been  enacted,^  and  the  holiness 
of  Jehovah,  and  the  dignity  of  moral  law  vindicated,  Is- 
rael resumes  her  triumphant  course.  The  methods  were 
rough,*  because  the  struggle  was  fierce.  The  terror  in- 
spired by  Israel  increases.  Powerful  cities  like  Gibeon  * 
do  not  hesitate,  in  their  terror,  to  secure  her  favor  by  fraud ; 
and  where  Israel's  policy  stumbles,  it  is  because  she  forgets 

»  5  :  13-15-  "  24  :  ". 

3  Here  the  sources  blend.  In  7  :  26  Achan  alone  appears  to  be  stoned : 
cf.  25^',  they  stoned  hivt.  But  in  25",  the  family  appears  to  be  stoned  too, 
whereas  another  version  represents  family  and  possessions  as  burnt  with 
fire,  cf.  Dt.  13  :  16. 

*  8  :  28,  29  and  10  :  22-26.  ^  \o\  2, 

109 


Joshua  The  Messages  of 

to  consult  her  God/     Kings  combine  :  Joshua  meets  them 
in  a  fierce  and  memorable  battle  in  which  the  hand  of 
Israel's  mighty  God  is  more  visible  than  ever. 
Her  ulti-  The  country  is  now  pierced.     A  great  campaign  is  en- 

umph^  tared  upon  in  the  southwest  and  is  everywhere  successful. 
Equal  success  crowns  Joshua's  efforts  in  the  northern 
campaign.''  But  everywhere — on  east  ^  as  well  as  on  west 
Jordan — there  is  fierce  fighting  and  the  settlement  of  the 
invaders  is  stubbornly  contested.*  At  length  the  land  is 
allotted  to  the  various  tribes  by  Joshua  ;  and  after  all  his 
work  is  done,  in  a  farewell  address  to  his  assembled 
people,  the  old  man  sets  before  them  the  secret  of  their 
strength  in  the  past,  and  earnestly  urges  them  to  be  faith- 
ful to  the  God  who  had  faithfully  kept  his  ancient  promise 
to  them.' 


IV 

THE  CONQUEST  AND  SETTLEMENT 

I.   The  Conquest  of  Canaan  (Josh,  i  to  12) 

Joshua's  as-     The  prophet  indeed  is  dead ;  but  the  warrior  takes  his 
fe'k'dSihV^  place,  divinely  called  thereto,  and  strengthened  by  the  as- 

1  9 :  14. 

'  II  :  1-13.     This  may  be  part  of  the  tendency  to  idealize  Joshua,  as  in 
Jud.  4  and  5,  which  must  be  an  old  story,  it  is  Barak  who  subdues  Jabin. 
'  17  :  I.  *  Cf .  the  fortunes  of  Dan.  19  :  47,  Jud.  i  :  34.  •  24* 

HO 


the  Historians  Joshua  3  : 7 

surance  that  if  he  but  be  brave  and  strong,  and  earnestly 
keep  the  law  of  Moses,  God's  presence  will  be  with  him 
as  it  was  with  Moses,  leading  him  everywhere  to  certain 
victory.  Then  Joshua  through  the  officers  bade  the  people 
make  preparation,  especially  urgijtg  the  Reubenites,  the 
Gadites,  and  the  half  tribe  of  Manas seh,  to  stand  by  the 
cause  of  Jehovah  and  his  people  until  all  were  securely 
settled  in  the  pro7nised  land.  And  they  vowed  him  the 
same  implicit  obedience  that  they  had  rendered  to  Moses. 

With  the  prudence  of  true  leadership,  Joshua  sent  men  He  sends 
across  the  Jordan  to  Jericho  to  spy  and  report  upon  the  jerlcho  (2) 
land.  The  king,  however,  with  a  shrewd  suspicion  of 
their  purpose,  sent  and  demanded  their  surrender.  By  a 
ruse,  the  woman  with  whom  they  were  staying,  saved 
them ;  for,  heathen  though  she  was,  she  had  a  deep 
faith  in  Israel's  destiny,  and  confessed  that  Israels  God 
was  supreme,  whose  marvels  and  victories  had  already 
smitten  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  with  terror.  In  re- 
turn for  her  kindness,  she  asked  and  received,  on  con- 
dition of  fidelity,  the  solemn  assurance  that  she  and  all  her 
family  be  spared,  when  Jehovah  should  give  Israel  the 
land.  By  the  aid  of  her  advice,  the  spies  reached  Joshua 
in  safety  and  triumphantly  told  of  the  terror  that  Israel's 
presence  had  already  inspired. 

The  people  moved  toward  the  Jordan,  the  last  barrier  The  crossing 
to  the  promised  land.     Here  then  was  another  crisis  :  God°^^^^^^°^' 
was  that  day  to  convince  the  people  that  he  was  with  the 
III 


Joshua  3:7  ^>^^  Messages  of 

new  leader,  as  he  had  been  with  the  old.     Joshua  assured 

them  that  their  God  was  lord  of  all  the  earth,  and  would, 

in  their  extremity,  work  a  wonder  among  them,  which 

would  convince  them  that  he  was  indeed  a  living  God, 

able  to  lead  them  to  victory  over  all  enemies.       After 

solemn  preparation,  they  began  the  passage  of  the  river, 

preceded  by  the  priests  with  the  ark ;  and  their  God,  who 

went  before,  prepared  for  them,  in  his  strange  providence, 

a  way  across  the  river  to  the  land  which  he  had  promised. 

The  memo-       So  great  a  blcssing  must  be  held  in  everlasting  remem- 

U^!i^\o"5^^  i)  brance.    Therefore  twelve  stones — symbol  of  the  unbroken 

unity  of  the  delivered  people — were  carried  to  Gilgal,  the 

first  encampment  in  the  promised  land,  and  set  up  there, '  to 

be  a  visible  memorial  of  God's  grace,  that  for  all  time  the 

fathers  might  teach  the  children  of  the  deed  of  love  and 

might  by  which  Jehovah  had  set  their  feet  at  last  in  the 

promised  land,  and  that  this  manifested  power  7night 

bring  the  whole  world  to  the  worship  of  Israel's  God. 

This   strange  interposition  of  Jehovah  for  his  people 

struck  terror  into  the  heart  of  all  the  native  kings. 

The  circum-      At  Gilgal  Joshua  imposed  circumcision  on  all  the  peo- 

tt!^2.<j)        ^\t—for  they,  being  born  in  the  wilderness,  had  not  been 

circumcised^diVid,  thus  he  rolled  away '  the  reproach  of 

Egypt. 

»  Another  source  says  "  in  the  Jordan." 

'Gilgal,  here  connected    with  "rolling  away,"    more   probably   means 
•'cromlech,"  c£.  4  :  20, 

112 


the  Historiafis  Joshua  7  :  9 

The  city  first  to  be  assailed  was  Jericho.     But  before  Joshua's  en- 
the  advance,  the  leader  of  Israel  was  strengthened  by  the  v?sbn^^"^ 
vision  of  a  heavenly  leader,  even  the  prince  of  the  angels,  ^  ^^  •  ^^-^s) 
with  sword  drawn  to  fight  for  Israel. 

Now  Jericho,  despite  her  mighty  men,  was  in  terror  of  The  fall  of 
Israel — a  terror  justified  by  the  sequel ;  for  Joshua  took 
her  by  inspired  strategy.  He  made  the  people  march 
seven  times  around  the  affrighted  city,  thereby  devoting 
her  to  a  sevenfold  doom.  For  no  walls  can  stand  before 
Jehovah,  when  he  fights  for  his  people.  Fall  they  must, 
and  fall  they  did,  and  that  right  speedily  at  the  blast  of 
the  horn  and  the  battle-shout.  The  whole  city,  their  first 
capture,  they  devoted  to  the  God  who  had  given  them  the 
victory.  But  Rahab  and  all  her  family  were  spared,  be- 
cause of  her  kindness  to  the  spies,  and  she  has  her  place 
in  Israel  to  this  day. 

Joshua  invoked  a  curse  on  the  man  who  would  rebuild  "^ 
the  city. 

This  triumph  was  followed  by  an  abrupt  reverse.     The  The  defeat 
little  band  that  attempted  the  northwesterly  gorge  into  the  Ichan'stres- 
heart  of  the  country,  was  beaten  by  the  men  of  Ai.     The  ^unlshment 
people  were  in  superstitious  terror  ;  and  Joshua,  all  but  in  (7) 
despair,  laid  the  matter  before  Jehovah,  appealing  to  him 
to  rescue  his  honor  from  the  taunts  of  the  native  peoples. 

1  Cf.  I  K.  22  :  19,     The  somewhat  similar  vision  In  Gen.  32  :  2,  suggests 
that  the  "  host  of  Jehovah  "  (v.  14)  Is  the  heavenly  host. 
a  Or  perhaps  "  fortify."     Cf.  i  K.  16  :  34. 


Joshua  7  :  lo  The  Messages  of 

Simple  but  searching  came  the  answer  to  his  prayer;  sin 
there  was  somewhere,  exposing  the  people  to  the  wrath 
of  their  God  ;  and  until  the  sinful  thing  was  put  away,  the 
wrath  and  defeat  would  remain.  By  the  divinely  guided 
lot,  the  offender  was  discovered.  Urged  by  Joshua  to  ac- 
knowledge Jehovah  as  a  just  and  all-seeing  God,  Achan 
confessed  his  sin — the  sin  of  covetousness.  He  had  taken 
of  the  precious  things  already  devoted  to  Jehovah,  and  so 
had  involved  himself  and  all  his  people  in  the  doom  of 
things  devoted.  The  "  troubler  "  '  of  Israel  was  stoned  ;  "^ 
his  family  and  possessions  were  burned ;  and  commun- 
ion between  Jehovah  and  his  people  was  restored. 

The  capture     Success  was  now  possible.     The  assault  was  renewed 

(8  -^1-20)  ^^^  care  and  cunning  and  with  the  divine  assurance  of 
victory.  Both  in  the  strategy  and  at  a  crisis  in  the  battle, 
Jehovah,  God  of  battles,  guided  Israel's  leader  as  he  had 
promised,  and  gave  his  people  complete  victory.  King 
and  city  perished.^ 

Thestrat-         Against  such   a  foe  resistance  was  clearly   useless. 

clbeonftes^  Powerful  confederations  werefor?ned  to  stem  his  advance. 

^9^  But  the  Gibeonites,  a  powerful  clan,*  moved  to  fear  by  the 

recent  successes  of  Israel  and  by  the  fame  of  Israel's  God, 

*  The  Hebrew  word  suggests  connection  with  Achor. 

2  In  one  version  the  only  was  stoned.     Cf.  Dt.  24  :  i6;  in  the  other,  his 
family  and  possessions  were  involved  in  his  fate.     Cf.  Dt.  13  :  15-17. 

3  The  story  of  the  central  campaign  is  omitted.     The  summary  notice  of 
8  :  30-35  is  probably  intended  as  a  compensation. 

4  Cf.  10  :  2. 

114 


tJie  Historians  Joshua  lo  :  19 

sought  to  save  themselves  from  their  probable  doom  by 
making  league  with  the  conquerors.  The  clever  cun- 
ning with  which  they  posed  as  travellers  from  a  very  far 
country,  eager  to  make  a  league  with  the  now  famous 
people  of  Jehoyah,  threw  Israel  completely  off  their  guard. 
Trusting  to  appearances,  Israel  did  not  consult  Jehovah, 
and  so  involved  themselves  in  a  dangerous  league  with 
the  people  of  the  land.  When  the  guile  of  the  Gibeonites 
was  discovered,  the  furious  people  were  for  slaying  them. 
Joshua,  however,  would  not  permit  this  ;  but,  with  a  sol- 
emn curse,  he  condemned  them,  for  their  guile,  to  be 
slaves  of  the  sanctuary  of  Israel's  God. 

Then  five  southern  kings,  headed  by  the  King  of  Jeru-  The  success- 
salem,  conspired  to  take  revenge  upon  Gibeon  for  weak-  palgn  b 
ening  the  confederacy  by  its  alliance  with    Israel.     In  ^^jj^^^" 
terror,  Gibeon  appealed  to  Joshua,  who,  with  the  divine  (10  ••  1-27) 
assurance  of  success,  at  once  responded.     His  confidence 
was  justified ;  for  Jehovah  gave  him  a  signal  victory,  and 
aided  Israel  by  sending  a  furious  hailstorm,  which  wrought 
havoc  among  the  foe.     In  answer  to  Joshua's  prayer  of 
faith,  the  day  was  also  prolonged'^  till  the  work  of  war 
was  done.     So  runs  the  tale  in  the  Book  of  the  Brave. 
Thus  on  that  terrible  and  decisive  day,  Jehovah  hirnself 
fought  for  Israel.     In  the  pursuit,  the  foe  lost  heavily, 

1  The  original  prayer  was  possibly  for  darkness,  not  for  light.  "  Sun,  be 
thou  silent."  (Cf.  McCurdy,  History,  Pi-ophecy,  and  the  Monuments,  vol. 
lii.  p.  44,  note  i.) 


Joshua  lo :  20 


The  Messages  of 


Successive 
victories 
(10 :  28-43) 


The  success- 
ful cam- 
paign in 

northern 
Canaan 
(II  :  1-15) 


Joshua's 
sweeping 
success 
(n  :  16  to 
18  :  24) 


and  the  kings  who  had  hidden  were  captured  and 
hanged. 

Likewise  throughout  the  whole  of  the  southern  cam- 
paign Jehovah  fought  for  Israel  and  subdued  the  coun- 
try before  Joshua. 

The  northern  kings,  hearing  of  Joshua's  success,  com- 
bined under  Jabin  against  Israel  at  the  waters  of  Merom.* 
But  despite  their  great  numbers  and  their  chariots  of  war, 
Israel  under  Jehovah  gained  a  decisive  victory.  Joshua 
hamstrung  their  horses  and  burnt  their  chariots ;  for  not 
in  such  was  Israel  to  trust.  Hazor  the  capital  of  the 
confederacy  was  reduced  to  ashes  ;  the  other  cities  were 
taken  and  their  inhabitants  put  to  the  sword  in  accord- 
ance with  the  word  of  Jehovah  to  Moses. "^ 

The  war  lasted  long;  for  everywhere  there  was  stub- 
born opposition,  diviiie  harbinger  of  doom.  But  in  the 
end,  Israel  won  tlie  whole  lajid  from  the  extreme  north 
to  the  south,  extirpating  even  the  tall  tribes,  the  fame  of 
whom  had  once  been  a  terror,  so  that  they  were  only  to 
be  found  in  the  Philistine  country.  Thus,  after  these 
fierce  but  prosperous  wars  in  which  two  kings  on  the 
east  of  the  Jordan  were  defeated  and  dispossessed  and 
thirty  '  kings  on  the  west,  the  weary  la7id  had  rest,  and 
it  was  divided  by  Joshua  among  the  various  tribes. 

hi  accordance  with  the  instructions  of  Moses,*  an  altar 


I  Supposed  to  be  Lake  Huleh. 
3  By  a  probable  change  in  12  :  i{ 
116 


2  Dt.  20  :  17;  7:  2, 
*  Dt.  27  :  4-8. 


the  Historians  Joshua  14:15 

was  set  up  to  Jehovah  on  Mount  Ebal :  also  the  law  was  The  sym- 
written  on  tablets,  and  the  covenant  ratified  iji  worship.  nfonVon^' 
Joshua  read  every  word  of  Moses's  law — the  blessing^^.  ^^    . 
upon  obedience  and  the  curse  upon  disobedience — before 
the  assembled  people. 

2.   The  Settlement  of  Canaan  (Josh.  13  to  22) 

Yet  the  land  actually  won  fell  far  short  of  the  ideal  lim-  The  land 
its  of  Israel ;  there  were  still  unconquered  tracts,  in  south  joshia     ^ 
and  north,  in  Philistia,  and  Lebanon  and  elsewhere.  ^^^ :  ^-h) 
So  Israel's  aged  leader,  whose  fighting  days  were  almost 
dont,  finished  his  work  under  divine  impulse  by  assign- 
ing the  whole  land  ajnong  the  various  tribes,^  excepting 
the  districts  east  of  the  Jordan,  which  the  two  and  a 
half  tribes  had  already  received  as  their  inheritance. 
There  are  districts,  however,  in  the  northeast,  which  have 
not  been  subdued  to  this  day.     The  tribe  of  Levi  re- 
ceived no  inheritance  :  their  inheritance  was  Jehovah. 

As  a  reward  of  the  moral  courage  and  faith  in  y^- The  share 
hovah  which  Caleb  "^  had  displayed  as  a  spy,  he  obtainedl^^  :^6-i5) 
from  Joshua  his  promised  share  ^  of  the  land,  evefi  the 
Hebron  district  in  the   hill  country  of  Judah,  faci7ig 
with  confidejice  in  Jehovah  the  prospect  of  driving  out 
the  tall  tribes  who  still  dwelt  there. 

1  The  Deuteronomic  conception  of  the  conquest,  as  completely  effected 
by  Joshua,  has  introduced  confusion  into  this  chapter. 

2  The  name  stands  for  an  Edomite  clan  :  cf.  v.  6  with  Gen.  36  :  11. 
'  Num.  14  :  24. 


Joshua  15  :  14  The  Messages  of 

Won  by  the  His  hope  was  justified.  For  he  succeeded  in  driving 
i^-'iQ  =Jud.  them  out,  and  in  seizing  their  strongholds ;  and  Achsah 
1 :  10-15)      ^^  daughter  gained  possession  of  the  springs  so  needful 

in  that  south  land. 
Partial  nat-       But  neither  in  the  south,  centre,  nor  north  of  the  coun- 
conquest^of  ^ry  did  Israel  completely  succeed  in  driving  out  the  an- 
Canaan        ^ieut    inhabitants.      Dan,  for  example,  failed   to  get  a 

(15  :  63 ;   16:  '^  ** 

10;  17:  II-  foothold  in  the  southwest,  which  was  for  long  retained 

Jud.  i)i     '  by  the  Canaanites.     The  tribe  was  driven  to  seek  territory 

in  the  far  north,  where  they  captured  and  occupied  Lesh- 

em,  and  called  it  Dan.     In  what  is  now  Jerusalem,  in 

Gezer,  and  over  the  plain  of  Esdraelon  in  the  north,  the 

Canaanites  maintained  themselves  side  by  side  with  Israel, 

in  some  cases  being  eventually  reduced  to  forced  service. 

The  house        The  descendants  of  Joseph,  finding  themselves  cramped 

dafms^m^re  ""^  ^^  ^'^^  couutry  of  Ephraim  assigned  to  them  by  Joshua, 

territory       ^ud  afraid  to  push  north  to  the  plain  of  Esdraelon,  because 

(17  :  14-18)  ^  ^ 

of  the  military  advantages  the  Canaanites  there  had  in  their 
chariots,  were  urged  by  Joshua,  to  whom  they  appealed, 
to  extend  their  territory  bravely  and  fearlessly  northward," 
by  cutting  down  the  forest  for  themselves. 
Land  allot-       Judah  and  the  house  of  Joseph  were  already  in  posses- 
western        sion  of  their  territory,  as  also  the  two  and  a  half  tribes 
08%.  10)     east  of  the  Jordan;  the  other  seven  showed  no  alacrity 

1  15  :  63  =  Jud.  I  :  21  with  "Judah"  for  "Benjamin,"  19  :  47;  cf.  Jud. 
I  :  34,  35. 
'  Or  perhaps — though  less  probably — eastward,  across  in  Gilead. 

118 


the  Historians  Joshua  23:11 

in  securing  theirs.  Joshua;  vexed  at  their  listlessness  in 
a  cause  which  was  Jehovah's,  urged  them  to  send  repre- 
sentatives from  each  tribe  throughout  the  land  and  bring 
back  a  plan  of  the  cities  in  the  various  districts  thereof,  to 
be  afterv^ard  solemnly  apportioned  to  the  tribes  by  lot ; 
and  apportioned  they  were. 

When  they  had  finished  apportioning  the  land,  Joshua  Joshua's  in- 
was  allotted  an  inheritance  in  Ephraim  in  the  city  of  his  (i^"^  49^%) 
choice.' 

So  Jehovah  faithfully  kept  his  ancient  promise  and  Rest  at  last 
brought  Israel,  through  unfailitig  victory,  to  peaceful  '  ''^'''^' 
possession  of  the  land  of  their  fathers."^ 

Then  Joshua,  before  dismissing  the  two  and  a  half  The  eastern 
tribes  to  their  eastern  home,  commended  them  for  unself-  home 
ishly  maintaining  the  unity  of  Israel,  and  urged  them  ^^^  '  ^'^^ 
earnestly,  now  that  their  rest  was  won,  to  love  and  serve 
Jehovah  their  God  with  heart  and  soul. 

3.   The  Last  Words  and  Death  of  Joshua  (23  and  24) 

The  aged  leader,  in  his  farewell  words,  reminded  the  }os\ina'% 
people  that  all  that  they  had  they  owed  to  Jehovah  their  Thriecret 
God.    He  it  was  who  had  fought  for  them,  and  he  it  was  gJea^tness^^ 
who  would  still  drive  out  for  them  the  nations  that  were  (^s) 
left.    But  they  on  their  part  must  cleave  to  hijn  infaith- 

1  As  Caleb  in  Judah  15  :  14-19.    These  two  verses  form  JE's  subscription 
to  the  account  of  the  division  of  the  land. 
8  These  three  verses  are  the  Deuteronomic  subscription. 
119 


Joshua  23  :  12  The  Messages  of 

fulness  and  love,  and  keep  the  law  of  Moses,  and  hold 
themselves  stremwusly  aloof  from  the  worship  of  the 
gods  of  the  land,  and  even  from  inter7narriage  with  the 
people  of  the  land.  This  too  surely  meant  idolatry  and 
ruin;  for  the  God  who  had  faithfully  kept  his  every  prom- 
ise to  crown  their  wanderings  with  victory  and  peace, 
would  as  faithfully  keep  his  threat  to  exterminate  them. 
His  final  He  '  recounted  the  gracious  deeds  of  Jehovah  in  the 

(i^ff^-aS)  remote  and  recent  past,  from  the  call  of  father  Abraham 
to  the  marvellous  deliverance  from  Egypt,  and  the  no  less 
marvellous  successes  in  the  goodly  land  to  which  he  had 
brought  them.  This  kindness,  he  urged,  imposed  upon 
them  the  duty  of  renouncing  all  strange  gods,  and  of  serv- 
ing Jehovah  alone.  Now  was  the  time  to  choose  :  his 
own  choice  could  not  but  be  altogether  for  Jehovah.  An- 
imated by  his  resolute  words,  the  people  also  vowed  them- 
selves enthusiastically  to  the  service  of  Jehovah  alone. 
Then  Joshua  solemnly  reminded  them  how  serious  was  the 
task.  There  must  be  no  compromise,  no  apostasy  :  these 
Jehovah  would  punish  bitterly.  Again  the  people  pledged 
their  solemn  word.  Whereafter  Joshua  made  a  covenant 
on  their  behalf  that  day,  and  set  up  a  stone  by  the  sanct- 
uary of  Jehovah  at  Shechem  as  a  memorial  and  witness 
of  the  solemn  vows  the  people  had  taken  upon  themselves. 
Then  he  dismissed  the  people. 

1  Ch.  24  is  from  a  later  Elohist.     The  language  and  sentiment  approx- 
imate, in  part,  to  Dt. 

120 


the  Historians  Judges 


Warfare  and  exhortation  over,  he  died  and  was  buried  His  death 

(24 
33) 


in  his  own  city  ^ — he,  the  successor  of  Moses,  and  Eleazar  """^  -  '^^'^°' 


the  successor  of  Aaron. 

Past  and  present  were  linked  together  in  the  burial  of  Joseph's 
Joseph's  bones '  at  last  in  the  promised  land,  after  the  at  Sh^chem 
long  discipline  of  exile  and  wandering.  ^^^  •  32) 


STRUCTURE  AND  CONTENTS  OF  THE  BOOK  OF 

JUDGES 

The  transition  from  the  conquest  to  the  monarchy  is  The  Intro- 
mediated  by  the  unsettled  period  described  in  the  Book  of 
Judges,  or  rather  in  the  second  part  of  that  book,  2  :  6  to 
16  :  31,  the  last  five  chapters  (17  to  21)  being  a  supple- 
ment, and  I  :  I  to  2  :  5  an  introduction,*  which  graphically 
suggests  the  not  always  by  any  means  successful  struggles 
incidental  to  the  conquest.  But  for  one  or  two  contradic- 
tions, in  which  it  is  always  easy  tJo  detect  the  older  source,* 
this  introduction  is  of  the  highest  historical  value. 

In  what  spirit  the  stories  in  the  body  of  the  book  were  The  original 
redacted,  we  have  already  seen  ® ;  but  the  stories  them-  the  D?u^er- 
selves  are  as  vigorous  as  the  scheme  in  which  they  are  set  redSon 

1  19  :  50.  2  Gen.  50  :  25  (E).  3  24  :  29,  30  =  Jud.  2 :  8,  9. 

*  Cf.  pp.  93,  118.       ^  Cf.  1 :  8  with  i :  21  (Josh.  15  :  63).       «  Pp.  93,  94. 


Judges  The  Messages  of 

is  formal.  Possibly  the  older  prophetic  documents  of  the 
Hexateuch  reappear  in  this  book.  In  the  narratives  there 
are  traits  which  closely  resemble  characteristic  features  of 
one  or  the  other,  and  the  presence  of  duplicates  is  some- 
times obvious — most  of  all  in  the  Gideon  story,  where 
there  are  two  accounts  of  the  hero's  call,  6  :  11-24  Qeho- 
vist  ?)  and  6  :  25-32  (Elohist  ?).  In  the  one  story  the  princes 
slain  are  Oreb  and  Zeeb,  and  they  meet  their  fate  on  the 
west  of  the  Jordan  (7  :  24  to  8  :  3) ;  in  the  other,  they  are 
Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  and  the  scene  is  on  the  east  (8  : 4- 
21).  While  the  Deuteronomic  scheme  represents  Israel 
as  a  unity,  the  original  stories  show  that  the  interests  are 
really  not  as  yet  national,  but  only  tribal.  The  topography 
of  the  country,  coupled  with  the  strength  of  the  native 
peoples  even  after  the  invasion,  largely  shut  the  various 
tribes  or  groups  of  tribes  off  from  one  another,  so  that 
they  pursued  their  fortunes  for  the  most  part  almost  inde- 
pendently, except  in  the  great  crisis  which  called  forth  De- 
borah, and  which  saw  something  like  an  approximation 
to  unity. 
The  judges  There  are  twelve  "judges,"  or  rulers,  if  we  include 
Abimelech,  though  he  is  not  called  a  judge,  and  exclude 
Shamgar,  who  clearly  does  not  belong  to  the  original 
scheme.'  They  are  not  so  distributed,  however,  that  each 
tribe  has  a  judge  of  its  own.  Of  the  five  minor  judges,  as 
they  are  called,  Tola,  Jair  (10  : 1-5),  Ibzan,  Elon,  and  Ab- 

>  Cf.  3  :  31  and  4  :  i. 
122 


the  Historians  Judges 

don  (i 2  :  8-15)  no  details  are  given  except  such  as,  in  some 
cases  at  least,  suggest  that  these  are  rather  the  names  of 
clans  than  of  leaders. 

Probably  no  book  in  the  Bible  surpasses  the  Book  of  Varied  inter- 
Judges  in  varied  interest.  Scenes  the  most  romantic  and  book^  ^^^ 
the  most  thrilling  pass  before  us :  the  lion-hearted  Deb- 
orah giving  her  judgments  beneath  her  palm-tree,  the 
splendid  muster  of  tribal  chivalry  on  the  plain  of  Esdra- 
elon,  the  left-handed  Ehud  plunging  his  dagger  into  the 
breast  of  the  unsuspecting  Eglon,  Gideon's  brilliant  mid- 
night attack  on  Midian,  Sisera  lying  dead  in  a  tent,  slain 
by  the  hand  of  his  hostess,  the  merry  vintage  festival  of 
the  men  of  Shechem  (9  :  27),  the  crowd  of  Ephraimites  at 
the  fords  of  the  Jordan  losing  their  lives  because  they  can- 
not say  Shibboleth,  the  grim  humor  and  ludicrous  esca- 
pades of  Samson,  the  cool  effrontery  with  which  the 
Danites  carry  off  the  prized  image  to  their  new  home 
(18  :  25),  the  agony  of  the  victorious  Jephthah  as  his 
heroic  daughter  comes  forth  to  meet  him  with  timbrel  and 
dance. 

For  us,  however,  the  main  interest  of  the  book  is  the  Primitive 
religious,  and  there  are  here  many  unmistakable  voices  of  reu^on'^^ 
an  older  time.  As  in  the  Hexateuch,  angels  appear  not 
seldom,  and  not  only  to  heroes  like  Gideon,  but  to  women, 
like  Samson's  mother ;  so  like  are  they  to  men  that  they 
can  be  pressed  to  partake  of  hospitality  (13  :  16).  How 
primitive  the  type  of  religion  is  may  be  seen  from  the 
123 


Historical 
value  of  th 
book 


Judges  The  Messages  of 

operations  of  the  spirit  of  Jehovah,  which  is  here  almost 
exclusively  associated  with  war  ;  and  the  man  on  whom 
the  spirit  is  most  often  recorded  to  have  come  is  Samson. 
Still,  God  was  believed  to  have  been  with  these  men  as 
truly  as  with  the  fathers,  and  to  have  sent  them  on  their 
mission  (6  :  14,  15).  But  religious  belief  and  practice  are 
still  crude.  Gideon  encourages  image-worship,  and  Micah 
is  happy  with  his  idols,  more  than  happy  when  he  can  boast 
a  Levitical  priest.  Jephthah  draws  the  knife  upon  his  own 
daughter  because  of  his  vow,  and  there  is  no  such  protest 
as  lifts  the  story  of  Abraham  and  Isaac  to  so  high  a  moral 
level.  Chemosh  is  as  capable  of  giving  land  to  Moab  as 
Jehovah  is  to  Israel  (11  :  24),  and  the  writer  who  believed 
in  Chemosh  would  also  have  believed  in  Dagon  and  prob- 
ably acknowledged  at  least  some  justice  in  the  claim  made 
for  him  by  the  Philistines  (16  :  23). 

Apart  from  its  religious  interest,  the  book  is  historically 
important  as  showing  the  fluctuating  fortunes  of  the  peo- 
ple, or  of  the  different  tribes,  before  the  monarchy.  The 
difficulties  of  the  new  comers  in  maintaining  their  position 
among  the  older  inhabitants  is  admirably  illustrated  by  the 
story  of  Abimelech ;  the  natives  resented  the  authority  of 
one  whose  mother  had  been  one  of  themselves,  because  his 
father  belonged  to  the  hated  invaders  (9  :  28).  But  most 
of  all  does  the  book  illustrate  the  constant  danger  of  at- 
tack to  which  the  as  yet  unconsolidated  people  were  ex- 
posed on  the  north,  east,  and  south. 
124 


the  Historians  Judges 

The  last  five  chapters,  which  lie  outside  the  scheme  of  The  appen- 
the  book,  have  an  interest  of  their  own.  The  first  story 
(17  and  18),  besides  giving  a  glimpse  into  the  nature  of 
the  older  religion,  and  the  extreme  importance  attached 
to  the  possession  of  instruments  and  agents  of  worship, 
throws  also  much  light  on  the  methods  by  which  conquests 
were  made  and  settlements  effected  in  the  new  land/ 
The  second  story  (19  to  21)  has  a  peculiar  critical  as  well 
as  religious  and  historical  interest.  It  is  undoubtedly  in 
the  main  early  and  suggests  that  ethical  motives  were 
powerful  in  primitive  times ;  but  it  has  passed  through  a 
very  late  redaction.  The  perfect  unanimity  with  which 
Israel  acts,  contradicts  the  tone  of  the  rest  of  the  book, 
where  the  action  is  only  tribal.  Coupled  with  this  unhis- 
torical  representation  are  numbers  impossibly  high,^  and 
facts  extremely  improbable,  indeed  incredible — as  that,  in 
two  days,  the  Benjamites,  without  losing  a  man,  deci- 
mated an  army  nearly  sixteen  times  their  own  in  num- 
bers. These  are  all  marks  of  the  later  tendency  to  exag- 
geration, a  tendency  which  can  be  proved  to  have  grown 
with  the  growing  remoteness  from  the  events.  When  to 
all  this  it  is  added  that  the  language  is  largely  that  of  the 
priestly  document  to  be  discussed  later — notice,  for  ex- 
ample, the  prominence  of  the  word  "  congregation  " — the 

1  Cf.  I  :  34 ;  Josh.  19  :  47. 

'  400,000  compared  with  Deborah's  40,000,  cf.  5 :  8.  A  tribe  of  25,700  com- 
pared with  the  600  Danites  of  18  :  11. 


Judges  The  Messages  of 

late  redaction  is  placed  beyond  a  doubt.  The  kernel  of 
the  story,  however,  is  old,  and  of  much  historic  interest 
and  value. 

VI 

BETWEEN    THE   CONQUEST    AND    THE   MONARCHY 

I.  Introduction  Qudg.  i  :  i  to  2  :  5)  * 
Theophany       At  Bethel,  the  religious  centre  of  the  land,  a  divine 
a"  thrsI?!j:N  messenger  appeared.     He  reproved  Israel  for  sparing 
B^T  ^\  ^^^^  native  peoples^  and  declared  that  those  very  peoples 

(2  : 1-5)        with  their  false  worship,  would  be  Israel  s  temptation 
and  ruin.     They  acknowledged  their  God  in  worship. 

2.  The  History  of  Israel  in  the  Days  of  the  Judges  (2  :  6 
to  16  :  31) 
(i)  The  Inner  Significance  of  the  History  (2  :  6  to  3  :  6) 
Misfortune  The  generations  that  succeeded  Joshua  ^  forgot  all 
chStis^e-^^"^  J^Ji'Ovah's  wondrous  kindness  to  the  fathers.  Their 
mentand  story  is  the  rccord  of  apostasy,  punishment,  repentance., 
turned  by     deliverance,  going  their  weary  round  from  generation  to 

repentance 

(2  :  6  to  3  :  6)      i  por  ch.  i,  which  represents  the  partial  nature  of  the  conquest,  see  p.  ii8. 

2  But  in  ch.  i,  which  is  almost  entirely  historical,  except  one  or  two  verses 

like  8  and  i8,  the  implication  is  that  they  did  not  drive  them  out  because 

they  could  not :  this  is  expressly  stated  in  the  kindred  verse  Josh.  15  :  63,  cf. 

p.  99. 

*  2  :  6,  7  =  Josh.  24  :  28,  31.     Jud.  2  :  8,  9  =Josh.  24  :  29,  30. 
126 


the  Historians  Judges  3:31 

generation.  They  would  turn  from  their  own  gracious 
God  to  the  worship  of  the  gods  and  goddesses  of  the 
neighboring  peoples.  Then  an  invader  would  co7ne  to 
execute  Jehovah's  wrath  upon  them,  and  with  shallow 
repentance  they  would  cry  to  their  own  God,  who  would 
raise  up  in  pity  a  judge  to  deliver  them.  But  with  the 
death  of  the  God-inspired  leader,  a  worse  apostasy  would 
break  out.  So  on  they  went  from  stubbornness  to  stub- 
bornness, and  in  chastisement,  Jehovah  left  certaitt  of 
the  ancient  peoples  unsubdued,  to  keep  Israel  in  touch 
with  the  art  of  war  and  to  test  their  fidelity,  a  test  in 
which  they  failed  ihrongh.  intermarriage.^ 

(2)    The  Stories  of  the  Judges  (3  :  7  to  16  :  31) 

(a)  Othniel  (3  :  7-11) 

An  illustration  of  the  people's  apostasy  and  of  Jeho-  Othniel  de- 
vah^s  righteous  severity  and  grace  is  furnished  by  the  IromcSh- 
period  of  Othniel,  by   whom   Jehovah   delivered  -^-^^^^^fhalm^' 
from  the  swarthy  king  whom  he  had  sent  to  punish  them  (3  :  7-1 1) 
for  their  apostasy. 

(b)  Ehud  (3  :  12-30) 

Another  illustration  is  from  the  time  of  Ehud,  the  left-  Ehud  deiiv- 
handed  hero,  cunning  and  resourceful,  by  whom  Jehovah  from  Eglon 
delivered   Israel  from  mighty  Moab  and  her   king — the^^' ^^'^°^ 
king  whom  he  had  empowered  to  punish  his  people's  sin."^ 

*  The  theory  embodied  in  this  section  is  repeated  in  very  similar  language, 
with  somewhat  more  explicit  allusions,  in  10  :  6-16,  cf.  i  S.  12. 
2  For  Shamgar  (3  :  31)  cf.  p.  122. 

127 


Judges  4  :  i  The  Messages  of 

(c)  Deborah  and  Barak  (4  and  5)  1 
Deborah  Ficklc  as  ever,  the  people  fell  away  from  their  fealty  to 

deiive^'^^  Jehovah  with  the  disappearance  of  their  deliverer;  and 
the^northS-n  '^^^^'^  ^  divine  instrufnent  of  punishment  was  raised  up 
Canaanites  j^  Siscra,  a  mighty  captain  in  the  north,  who  with  his 
chariots  was  more  than  a  match  for  Israel.  This  time 
Israel  was  delivered  by  the  brave,  inspired  wisdom  of  a 
woman,  the  prophetess  Deborah,  who  urged  Barak,  the 
captain  of  Naphtali,  to  summon  to  the  fray  the  warriors 
of  Naphtali  and  Benjamin,  and  assured  him,  in  Jehovah's 
name,  of  ultimate  success,  though  the  glory  would  be  a 
woman's.  The  prophetess  went  with  the  captain,  and  her 
fiery  word  of  assurance  kindled  the  faith  of  him  and  his 
men.  Nor  was  their  faith  put  to  shame ;  for  there  fell 
upon  Sisera's  host  a  heaven-sent  panic.  His  chariots 
availed  him  not ;  the  discomfiture  was  total.  In  his 
flight  he  found  refuge  in  a  Kenite  tent,  and  there  by  a 
woman's  hand  he  was  slain,  in  fulfilment  of  the  word  of 
the  prophetess.  Thus  again  was  deliverance  and  secu- 
rity wrought  for  Israel  by  Jehovah, 

(d)  Gideon  (6  to  8) 
Raids  of  the      Fickle  as  ever,  the  people  fell  away  again  frotti  their 
{i:  i^io)^^   fealty  to  Jehovah,  and  in  chastisement — as  a  prophet 
arose  to  declare^for  all  their  ingratitude  and  apostasy, 
he  sent  the  Midianites  to  terrorize  and  ravage  their  land. 

*  Ch.  4,  the  prose  story  is  founded  mainly  on  the  old  poem  preserved  in  5. 
128 


The  call  of 
Gideon 
(6  :  11-24) 


Clan  sum- 
moned 
(6  :  34) 


Gideon  re- 
assured 
(7:1,9-15) 


the  Historians 

•  A  divine  call  1  to  deliver  Israel 
came  to  the  mighty  Gideon,  as, 
in  fear  of  the  Midianites,  he  was 
threshing  his  vi'heat  in  the  covert 
of  a  wine-press.  All  despondent 
as  he  contrasted  with  the  forlorn- 
ness  of  the  present  the  miracles 
of  God's  grace  in  the  olden  time, 
and  humbly  doubting  the  divine 
impulse  within  him  to  champion 
his  people's  cause,  he  then  and 
there  received  the  assurance  that, 
despite  his  fear,  Jehovah  would 
be  with  him  and  give  him  victory 
over  the  Midianites. 


Thus  encouraged  and  clothed 
in  the  spirit  of  Jehovah,  he 
summoned  his  clan  to  resist  the 
foe. 

As  Gideon,  in  doubt,  surveyed 
the  swarming  foe  beneath  him, 
Jehovah  reassured  him  by  caus- 
ing him  to  overhear  a  dream  pro- 
phetic of  the  triumph  of  his  little 
band. 


Judges  7:15 

The  call  In  obedience  to  the 

K  •  25-32;  divine  call  Gideon  se- 
cretly destroyed  the  instruments 
of  Baal  worship,  to  the  amaze- 
ment and  anger  of  the  idolatrous 
villagers,  who  threatened  him  with 
death.  But  his  father  reminded 
them  that  Baal  must  be  allowed 
to  avenge  his  own  quarrel.''^ 
The  signs  Gideon,  now  the 
(  •  3  -4°)  proved  champion  of 
Jehovah  worship,  was  next  called 
to  deliver  Israel  from  her  foes. 
He  hesitated  and  asked  for  a 
sign,  once  and  again,  and  once 
and  again  did  God  graciously 
reassure  him  by  granting  it. 
Tribes  He  then  summoned 


summoned 
(6  :  33»  35) 


his  own  tribe  Manas- 
seh,  and  three  others 
to  resist  the  hordes  of  Midian, 
Amalek,  and  the  Bedawin. 
Gideon's  But  the  victory  must 

dS'^'  be  altogether  God's, 
(7  :  2-8)  who  needs  no  mighty 
host  to  execute  his  purpose.  So 
first  in  one  way  and  then  in  an- 
other, Gideon's  forces  were  re- 
duced to  three  hundred  men. 


»  The  Gideon  story  is  duplicated  practically  throughout. 
3  Probably  ironical  in  the  mouth  of  the  historian,  but  not  of  Joash. 
129 


Judges  7  :  i6 


The  Messages  of 


The  attack 
(7  :  i6-a2) 


The  pursuit 
Chastise- 
ment of 
Succoth 
and  Penuel 
(8  :  4-21) 


Gideon's 
ephod 
(8  :  24.27) 


In  bold  confidence  he  led  on 
his  men  to  the  attack  at  dead  of 
night  to  the  war-cry  "  For  Jeho- 
vah and  for  Gideon:"  and  by 
a  brilhant  concerted  stratagem  ^ 
caused  the  enemy  to  flee  in  wild 
terror. 

Gideon,  in  pursuit  of  the  re- 
treating Midianites  across  the 
Jordan,  received  nothing  but  in- 
solence from  the  men  of  Succoth 
and  Penuel  of  whom  he  begged 
bread  for  his  exhausted  band. 
With  threats  of  vengeance,  he 
passed  on.  and  overtook  the  un- 
suspecting Midianite  camp,  capt- 
uring their  two  kings,  Zebah  and 
Zalmunna.  On  his  return  he  ful- 
filled his  threats  on  the  insolent 
cities,  and  then  slew  the  haughty 
kings  of  Midian  for  the  murder  of 
his  brother. 

Of  the  enormous  spoil,  Gideon 
set  up  an  oracular  idol  of  gold  at 
Ophrah,  which  led  Israel  astray. 


The  attack  In  confidence  he  led 
(7  :  16-22)     Q^  j^jg  j^gj^  ^^  ^j^g  ^^_ 

tack  at  dead  of  night,  and  by  a 
brilliant  concerted  stratagem, 2 
the  enemy  were  thrown  into 
panic,  in  which  they  slew  their 
own  comrades  and  took  to  head- 
long flight. 

The  tri-  Then  the  Ephraim- 

Quarrel  ^*^^  ^*^  Gideon's  sum- 
with  Eph-  mons  seized  the  fords 
to's'/s)"''^  to  prevent  the  foe  from 
crossing  the  Jordan. 
In  this  way  the  two  chiefs  of 
Midian,  Oreb  and  Zeeb,  were 
captured  and  slain.  But  the  men 
of  Ephraim  bitterly  upbraided 
Gideon  for  not  having  summoned 
them,  the  leading  tribe,  to  the 
fray  itself.  He  adroitly  appeased 
them,  however,  by  showing  how 
much  greater  their  share  of  the 
victory  was  than  his. 
Gideon  re-  The  people  asked 
Sr/shf;  W"™  to  become  their 
(8  :  22,  23)  king,  but  he  refused, 
Jehovah  was  their  king,  he  said, 
and  should  continue  so  to  be.' 


1  Probably  with  the  jars  and  torches. 

2  Probably  with  the  trumpets  (Moore). 

8  That  the  monarchy  is  an  apostasy  from  Jehovah,  Israel's  true  king,  is  also 
the  view  of  i  S,  8  :  7. 


the  Historians  Judges  9  :  49 

Thus  Israel  had  rest  through  the  deliverer  whom  GodCAdeons 
raised  tip  :  but  as  ever,  the  death  of  the  leader  was  the  isr^aei's" 
signal  for  afresh  apostasy.  tsTStTs-ss) 

(e)  Abimelech  (9) 

Gideon  had  a  son  Abimelech  by  a  Shechemite  concu-  Abimelech 
bine.     On  his  father's  death,  Abimelech  artfully  induced  S  shechem^ 
the   Shechemites  to  rid  themselves  of   Israel's  yoke  by  ^^.'^^9-32; 
slaying  Gideon's  sons,  and  making  him  king.     Was  he 
not  their  own  flesh  and  blood  ?     The  sons  were  slain, 
but  Jotham  the  youngest  escaped,  and  in  a  parable  which 
illustrated  the  truth  that  it  was  only  the  worthless  who  were 
eager  to  reign,  he  pointed  the  moral  of  the  Shechemite  folly 
in  creating  such  a  king.     As  surely  as  Abimelech  and  the 
Shechemites  had  acted  in  bad  faith  toward  his  brave  sire, 
so  surely  would  they  perish  at  each  other's  hands. 

Even  so  did  God  bring  it  about ;  for  he  makes  it  his  The  Shech- 
task  to  avenge  cruelty.     Soon  the  Shechemites  began  to  voit,%urare 
resent  Abimelech's  authority,  for  he  was  but  a  half  Shech- J'g^f22"45) 
emite  after  all ;  and  flushed  with  insolence,  they  rose  in 
revolt  against  him,  only  to  be  crushed,  however,  by  his 
clever  strategy.^ 

Thus  did  the  traitors  fall;  Abimelech's  turn  was  yet  Abimelech's 
to  come.     With  bold  energy  he  proceeded  with  the  final  ^9^46-55) 
suppression  of  the  rebellion — soon  however  to  find  his 

1  There  are  two  versions  of  this  story  ;   one  in  22-25  and  42-45 ;  the  other 
in  26-41. 


Judges  9 :  50  '  The  Messages  of 

doom  :  and  only  the  sword  of  his  armor-bearer  saved  him 

from  finding  it  at  the  hands  of  a  woman. 
JheNem-        Jotham's  curse    was  thus    fulfilled,  for  God  wrought 
trel?hery      upon  Abimelcch  and  the  Shechemites  righteous  retribu- 
(9  :  56,  57)    tion  for  their  treacherous  cruelty. 

(f)  Jephthah  (10  :  17  to  12  :  7)  1 
Gileadites         Ftckle  as  ever,  the  people  agam  fell  away  from  their 
thah^orepel/'^'^^O'  ^^    Jehovah  uiid  again  a  divine  instrtanent  of 
the  Ammo-    f)iinishinent  was  raised  up  in  the  Ammonites,  who  raided 

nite  invasion '  ^  ' 

(10: 17  to  11:  Gilead  on  the  east  of  the  Jordan  ;  and  when  Israel  cried 
11)  "" 

iti  penitence  to  Jehovah,  in  pity  he  sent  thon  a  deliverer 

in  Jephthah.  This  mighty  man,  a  bastard  son,  who,  ban- 
ished by  the  elders  of  Gilead,  had  been  living  the  life  of  a 
freebooter,  was  invited  by  the  terrified  elders  to  take  the 
lead  against  Amnion.  The  proud  chief  consented,  on 
their  solemnly  swearing  to  make  him  head  of  all  Gilead.* 

*  For  10  :  1-5,  two  minor  judges,  Tola  and  Jair,  cf.  pp.  122,  123.  For 
10 :  6-16,  cf.  2  :  7  to  3  :  6  with  note. 

'  12-28  is  an  interpolated  section.  "  On  the  invasion,  Jephthah  sends 
messengers  to  remonstrate.  The  invaded  country,  he  argued,  had  never 
belonged  to  the  invaders;  it  had  been  in  the  undisputed  possession  of 
Israel  for  three  hundred  years,  and  was  hers  by  the  divine  right  of  con- 
quest. The  Moabite  king  had  not  then  disputed  her  claim,  and  she  had 
never  interfered  with  Moab,  not  even  when  in  her  wanderings  she  was 
tempted  to  do  so  ;  nor  should  Moab  now  interfere  with  her.  '  Let  Jehovah 
judge.'  But  the  king  would  not  listen."  This  section  deals  with  Moab, 
not  with  Ammon,  and  is  therefore  irrelevant  ;  it  was  probably  inserted  to 
justify  Israel's  claims  to  Gilead  when  attacked  by  Ammon  in  the  beginning 
of  the  sixth  century  B.  C.    Jer.  49  :  i. 


tJie  Historians  Judges  13:3 

He  vowed  to  sacrifice  to  Jehovah  the  first  human  thing  Jephthah's 
that  came  out  of  his  house  to  meet  him,  if  he  should  fulfilment. 
bring  him  back  victorious.  Jehovah  heard  his  prayer,  but,  ^ank  offer- 
horror  !  the  first  that  met  him  was  his  only  child,  playing  >"g  ^1^ 

}  '  f     J      t3  ^hat  It  cost 

and  dancing  for  joy  at  her  father's  victory.  Nevertheless,  (n  :  29-40) 
the  sad  father  would  not  break  his  stern  vow  to  Jehovah, 
nor  would  the  heroic  maiden  suffer  him  so  to  do,  content 
to  die  for  such  a  victory  of  God  and  of  her  sire  over  her 
people's  foes.  Then  after  two  months,  for  which  she 
entreated  to  bewail  her  maidenhood  upon  the  mountains, 
her  father  fulfilled  his  vow  upon  her,  and  the  memory  of 
her  abides  in  the  yearly  lamentations  of  the  daughters  of 
Israel. 

The  leading  tribe  Ephraim,  angrily  threatened  Jephthah  Quarrel  with 
for  not  summoning  them  to  the  fray.^     They  had  been  (12  -^T^) 
summoned,  retorted  Jephthah,  and  had  refused.     So  he 
mustered  his  tribesmen,  and  they  fought  with  Ephraim, 
and  slew  at  the  fords  of  the  Jordan  all  who  under  false 
pretences  sought  to  reach  their  homes  across  the  river.' 

(g)  Samson  (13  to  16) 

Fickle  as  ever,  the  people  again  fell  away  from  their  The  birth  of 
fealty  to  Jehovah,  and  a  divine  instrumetit  of  punish-  {^^^^^ 
ment  was  raised  up  in  the  Philistines.     There  arose  also 
a  deliverer,  divinely  called  before  his  birth  to  be  the  votary 

1  For  a  very  similar  story,  cf.  8  :  1-3  (Gideon). 

2  For  12,:  8-15,  three  minor  judges,  Ibzan,  Elon,  and  Abdon,  cf.  pp.  122, 123. 


Judges  13:4  T'^'^^  Messages  of 

of  his  God.  The  mother  of  the  unborn  child — so  spake 
to  her  a  voice  divine — must  in  no  wise  defile  herself ;  and 
the  father,  seeking  to  learn  what  the  rule  and  manner  of 
the  child's  life  should  be,  worshipped  the  ineffable  one 
who  had  thus  strangely  visited  them.  Not  till  then  did  he 
realize  that  in  this  visitation  he  had  been  face  to  face  with 
God  ;  and  he  was  afraid.  But  his  wife  allayed  his  fear : 
for  had  God  not  graciously  received  their  sacrifice  ?  Then 
she  bore  a  son,  Samson,  and  the  spirit  of  Jehovah  began  to 
stir  him. 

Samson's  Samsou  in  time  fell  in  love  with  a  Philistine  woman  ; 

wkh  a^Phil-  ^ut  his  parents  refused  their  consent  to  his  marriage  with 
an  alien,  not  knowing  that  this  was  Jehovah's  way  of  in- 
volving the  Philistine  oppressors  in  trouble.  As  Samson 
was  on  his  way  to  the  woman's  house,  in  an  inspired  frenzy 
he  slew  a  lion  that  crossed  his  path.  Being  satisfied  with 
the  woman,  he  came  home  and  returned  afterward  to  his 
bride's  home  for  the  wedding  feast.  There  he  put  forth  a 
riddle  which  the  guests  only  read  by  sternly  importuning 
the  woman  to  wring  the  answer  from  her  husband.  Then 
in  an  inspired  frenzy  he  fulfilled  his  promise  to  the  guests 
by  slaying  thirty  Philistines,  and  he  disgraced  his  Philis- 
tine wife  by  leaving  her. 

Its  conse-         After  a  while  he  returned,  to  find  that  his  wife  had  been 

?heSis°  given  to  another,  and  in  the  grim  humor  of  revenge  he 
destroyed  the  Philistine  corn.  They  savagely  retaliated  : 
Samson  again  took  summary  vengeance  on  them  and  re- 
134 


istine  woman 
(14) 


tines 
(15) 


t J LC  Historians  Judges  16:31 

tired  to  Judah.  The  Philistines  followed,  demanded  and 
secured  his  surrender ;  but,  in  the  inspired  frenzy  which 
mastered  him,  he  burst  his  strong  bands,  wrought  a  mighty 
slaughter,  and  was  preserved  from  further  peril  by  the 
grace  of  the  God  who  answers  prayer. 

On  a  visit  to  another  Philistine  woman,  Samson  mocked  Samson  at 
the  men  who  tried  to  entrap  him,  by  carrying  off  the  city  (16^1-3) 
gate  upon  his  shoulders. 

With  yet  another  Philistine  woman  he  fell  in  love,  and  Samson  and 
she  was  his  undoing.     Bribed  by  the  Philistine  lords,  she  xhe  Tragedy 
besought  him  to  tell  her  the  secret  of  his  great  strength —  (lo^^^Tzd) 
the  divine  secret  he  so  jealously  guarded.     Thrice  he  baf- 
fled her  curiosity,  and  the  lords  were  mocked  ;  but  at  the 
last,  vexed  unto  death,  he  told  her.     Then  in  the  lap  of 
love  his  strength  was  taken  from  him,  and  his  God  de-  Samson's 
parted  from  him.     The  foemen  blinded  him  and  took  him  triumph  in^ 
away  to   the  town  whose  gates  he  had  carried  off  ere  his  fj^%j„\ 
strength  was  shorn,  and  forced  him  to  make  sport  for 
them  at  a  sacrifice  in  the  temple  of  Dagon  their  god,  to 
whom  they  ascribed  the  victory.     Then  the  mocked  and 
eyeless  hero  prayed  his  God  to  grant  him  his  old  strength 
but  once  again,  in  vengeance  for  his  eyesight.     He  thrust 
the  pillars  with  all  his  might,  and  down  fell  the  house, 
with  lords  and  people.     Thus  the  triumph  of  his  death 
was  greater  than  that  of  all  his  life. 


^35 


Judges  17  : 1  The  Messages  of 

3.  Other  Echoes  from  the  Days  of  the  fudges  (17  to  21) 
(l)  Origin  of  the  Sanctuary  at  Dan  (17  and  18) 
Micah's  In  the  rude  days  of  the  judges,  an  Ephraimite  called 

priest^Jij)  Micah  was  in  possession  of  a  shrine  with  an  oracle  and  a 
costly  image  made  of  silver  which  had  been  stolen  and 
cursed,  and  one  of  his  sons  he  had  installed  as  priest.  But 
a  wandering  Levite  who  chanced  upon  his  house,  agreed 
to  stay  with  him  and  become  his  priest,  in  return  for  a  pit- 
tance of  money  and  food — to  the  great  delight  of  Micah ; 
for  such  a  presence  was  a  guarantee  of  blessing. 
Migration  of  At  that  time  the  Danites,  who  could  not  gain  a  firm 
to^the^north  ^oo^ing  in  the  southwest,  sent  a  party  to  explore  the  land, 
(18 : 1.29)  and  lighting  upon  Micah's  house  in  Ephraim,  they  con- 
sulted the  Levite  as  to  whether  God  approved  of  their  en- 
terprise. On  receiving  his  assurance,  they  pushed  on  to  the 
extreme  north,  and  returned  to  their  brethren  with  the  news 
of  the  rich  unwarlike  people  that  were  there.  Thus  encour- 
aged, six  hundred  armed  Danites  started  for  the  north ; 
and,  on  the  way,  they  constrained  Micah's  priest,  nothing 
loth,  to  accompany  them  with  his  image  and  oracle.  Was 
it  not  better,  they  said,  to  be  priest  to  a  tribe  than  to  a 
single  man  ?  Micah  and  his  neighbors,  in  amazement  and 
despair  at  the  loss  of  his  gods  and  priest,  pursued  after 
the  Danites,  but  were  repulsed  with  rude  threats.  So  with 
their  precious  acquisitions,  the  Danite  warriors  advanced 
north  to  Laish,  now  called  Dan,  which  fell  an  easy  prey. 
136 


the  Historians  Judges  20  :  7 

The  Danites  set  up  the  image.    The  grandson  of  Moses '  Establish- 
was  the  first  priest  of  the  sanctuary,  and  his  descendants  Snctuary  at 
held  the  priesthood  till  about  734  B.  C."  J^s"  30,  31) 

(2)  Vengeance  of  Israel  on  Benjamin  for  the  Outrage  at  Gib- 
eah  (19  to  21) 

In  those  rude  days  of  the  judges,  a  certain  Levite  had  a  Levite's 
a  concubine  who  one  day  left  him  for  her  father's  house  rrvrshelTby 
in  Bethlehem.     Thither  he  went  to  win  her  back  again.  Benjamites 
Leaving  Bethlehem  together  in  the  late  afternoon,  they 
reached  the  hostile  Jebus — now  Jerusalem — in  the  even- 
ing.    Preferring  to  trust  the  hospitality  of  a  city  of  Israel, 
they  turned  aside  to  Gibeah  of  Benjamin.  Only  a  stranger, 
however,  would  take  them  in.    So  far  were  the  vile  towns- 
men from  playing  the  part  of  host  that  their  horrible  lust 
had  to  be  sated  by  the  surrender  of  the  concubine,  whom 
they  did  to  death  ere  it  was  morning.     Then  in  righteous 
wrath  at  the  infamy,  unparalleled  in  Israel's  history,  the 
Levite  cut  the  woman  in    twelve    pieces  and  sent  her 
throughout  all  the  borders. 

Then  the  whole  congregation  ^  of  Israel,  four  hundred  Israel  re- 
thousand  men,  mustered  as  one  man  in  Mizpah  of  Ben-  veiTgean^e. 
jamin.     The  Levite  told  his  tale  before  them,  and  asked  i^e"iamin 

■'  '  nearly  ex- 

*  Altered  to  "  Manasseh  "  in  later  times,  which  were  offended  by  the  trac-  /     \ 
ing  of  a  priesthood,  then  regarded  as  idolatrous,  to  the  grandson  of  Moses. 

^  This  date  is  probable,  but  not  certain. 

•  This  story  has  been  subjected  to  a  priestly  redaction,  here  marked  in 
bold  type.     Cf.  pp.  125,  126. 


Judges  20 : 8  The  Messages  of 

their  counsel,  and  as  one  man  they  vowed  vengeance. 
The  Benjamites,  who  numbered  about  twenty-six  thou- 
sand men,  refused  to  deliver  up  the  guilty  ;  so,  after  con- 
sulting the  oracle,  forth  the  men  of  Israel  advanced  against 
them,  Judah  leading.  In  the  first  assault  they  were  re- 
pulsed with  a  loss  of  twenty-two  thousand  men,  and 
again  in  a  second,  with  a  loss  of  eighteen  thousand. 
Then  with  tears,  fasting  and  sacrifice,  they  consulted  the 
oracle  again  ;  and  success  was  assured  them.  This  time 
by  strategy  the  men  of  Benjamin  were  defeated  with  a 
loss  of  twenty-five  thousand  one  hundred  '  men.  Their 
cities  were  burned,  and  but  few  escaped. 
Measures  Not  till  the  battle  was  over  did  Israel  realize  what  they 

sel^Jthe^'^^had  done.  To  their  sorrow  a  tribe  was  on  the  way  to 
tribe  (21)  extinction  ;  for  they  had  solemnly  vowed  not  to  give  their 
daughters  in  marriage  to  the  survivors  of  Benjamin,  and 
the  women  of  Benjamin  had  all  been  slain.  To  preserve 
the  tribe,  they  sent  a  force  to  destroy  the  inhabitants  of 
Jabesh  in  Gilead  for  their  refusal  to  take  part  in  the 
war,  and  to  secure  the  maidens  as  wives  for  the  men  of 
Benjamin.  Yet  even  so  there  were  not  maidens  enough. 
Then  they  urged  the  Benjamites  to  seize  the  girls  who 
came  out  to  dance  in  the  vintage  festival  at  the  sanctuary 
of  Shiloh.  Thus  the  tribe  was  preserved.  All  this  was 
in  the  rude  days  of  the  judges. 

>  In  the  older  story  18,000  (cf.  v.  44). 

138 


the  Historians  Samuel 


VII 

COMPOSITION    AND    CONTENTS    OF    THE    BOOKS   OF 
SAMUEL 

The  Books  of  Samuel,  like  those  that  precede  them,  are  Duplicates 
composite.  Not  to  the  same  extent,  however.  There  is  at  JJ}  sLmu?' 
least  one  long  section  practically  homogeneous  (2  S.  9  to 
20)  ;  but  the  compositeness  of  the  remainder  is  rendered 
certain  by  the  presence  of  the  usual  duplicates  and  contra- 
dictions. Of  the  duplicates,  the  most  striking  is  that  in 
which  David  waives  his  opportunity  to  take  Saul's  life 
(i  S.  24  and  26),  where  the  situation,  the  language,  even 
the  metaphors  are  very  similar,  and  there  is  no  allusion  in 
the  second  narrative  to  the  first,  as  there  surely  must  have 
been,  had  the  occasions  been  different.  A  similar  illustra- 
tion on  a  smaller  scale  is  the  two-fold  origin  of  the  prov- 
erb :  "  Is  Saul  also  among  the  prophets  ?  "  ' 

Of  the  contradictions,  the  most  conspicuous  and  impor-  Contradic- 
tant  is  that  found  in  the  conception  of  the  monarchy.  One  *^°"^ 
source,  the  earlier — that,  too,  which  represents  Samuel  as 
a  seer — regards  the  kingdom  as  a  blessing  and  a  gift  of 
Jehovah  :  the  first  king  is  anointed  by  divine  commission 
"  to  be  prince  over  my  people  Israel,  and  he  shall  save  my 
people  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Philistines."  *  The  other 
source  regards  the  popular  request  for  a  king  as  an  implicit 

*  I  S.  10 :  II  and  19  :  24.  2  ^  :  ig^ 


Samuel  The  Messages  of 

rejection  of  Jehovah/  and  the  monarchy  as  destined  to 
prove  a  vexation,  if  not  a  curse.''  Very  striking,  too,  are 
the  mutually  exclusive  accounts  of  David's  introduction  to 
Saul.'  In  one  he  is  a  man  of  war  (i  S.  i6  :  i8)  whom 
Saul  soon  learns  to  love  (v.  21).  In  the  next  chapter,  he 
is  a  shepherd  apparently  unacquainted  with  war  (17  :  28) 
and  Saul  knows  nothing  whatever  about  him  (17  :  56).  A 
meeting  of  Saul  and  Samuel  is  recorded  *  after  the  definite 
announcement  that  Samuel  saw  Saul  no  more.^  There 
are  two  conflicting  traditions  of  the  death  of  Goliath  :  one 
that  he  was  slain  by  David,®  the  other,  by  Elhanan.'  In 
2  Samuel  14  :  27,  Absalom  has  three  sons;  in  18  :  18  he 
has  none.  Further,  there  are  two  accounts  of  the  death 
of  Saul :  one  that  he  committed  suicide  ;  ®  the  other  that 
he  was  slain  by  an  Amalekite.* 
The  various  It  is  important  to  try  to  separate  these  sources ;  and 
when  we  have  done  so,  we  appear  to  be  left  with  ultimate 
elements  of  varying  historical  worth  :  a  biography  of  Sam- 
uel, a  very  early  biography  of  Saul  which  took  quite  a 
favorable  view  of  that  monarch,  a  very  early  and,  in  large 
part,  extremely  well-informed  biography  of  David,  and  a 
history  written  between  two  and  three  centuries  later,  when 
the  vexations  and  the  religious  impotence  of  the  monarchy 

1  8  :  7.  2  8:iiff.  3  16  :  14-23  and  17 :  55-58.  <  19  :  24. 

•15:35.         «  17 :  51.  728.21:19.  818.31:4. 

9  2  S.  I  :  10.     Of  course,  the  Amalekite's  story  may  be  a  fiction,  but  it  is 
not  necessary  to  suppose  this. 

140 


tJie  Historians  Samuel 


were  beginning  to  be  apparent.  Even  long  after  these 
constituents  were  welded  into  a  literary  unity,  the  book 
received  some  touches  from  a  priestly  hand,  as  we  see  from 
I  Samuel  6:15  with  its  belated  introduction  of  the  Levites 
to  do  what  had  already  been  done  (v.  14),  and  still  more 
clearly  from  the  substitution  of  "  all  the  Levites  "  for 
"  Abiathar  "  in  2  Samuel  1 5  :  24  (cf.  vv.  29,  35,  and  17:15). 
The  last  four  chapters  (2  S.  21  to  24)  which  interrupt  the 
connection  between  chapter  20  and  i  Kings  i  are  clearly 
no  part  of  the  original  book.  They  contain  two  narra- 
tives, two  psalms,  and  certain  lists,  and  were  no  doubt 
designed  to  preserve  memorable  material  which  had  not 
found  a  place  in  the  history  proper. 

Samuel  is  the  link  that  binds  together  the  period  of  the  Saul 
judges  and  that  of  the  monarchy.  Himself  a  judge — on 
one  view  at  least — he  launched  Israel's  first  king  on  his 
strange  career.  The  graphic  story  of  the  Bible  need  not 
be  here  anticipated ;  only  its  more  salient  features  may  be 
noticed.  Saul  seems,  at  the  first  glance,  great  enough  to 
found  a  monarchy.  A  splendid  man  physically,  he  has  im- 
pressive qualities  of  heart  to  match.  He  must  surely  have 
been  a  lovable  man,  for  whose  dead  body  the  men  of  Jabesh 
were  willing  to  risk  their  lives,  and  over  whom  the  man 
whom  he  had  hunted  almost  to  the  death  sang  the  most 
touching  elegy  that  has  ever  celebrated  human  worth. 
Yet  the  deliberate  judgment  of  a  later  day  was  that  God 
had  rejected  him,  and  a  study  of  his  character  confirms 
141 


Samuel  The  Messages  of 

the  justice  of  that  view.  His  undoubted  power  was  para- 
lyzed by  jealousy.  He  could  not  bear  about  him  a  younger 
man  who  was  his  match  or  his  superior.  "  Saul  hath  slain 
his  thousands,  David  his  tens  of  thousands."  Jealousy 
bred  suspicion ;  suspicion,  malice  ;  and  this,  working  upon 
his  predisposition  to  melancholy,  led  him  to  ruin.  Not 
such  as  he  could  found  a  kingdom  of  God. 
David  Very  different  was  the  man  whom  Providence  called  to 

that  high  honor.  Not  without  tragic  faults,  yet  a  true 
prince  of  God.  Tender  as  a  woman  to  the  friend  he 
loves,  generous  to  his  foes,  fearless  in  every  venture  and 
resourceful  in  every  difficulty,  master  of  war  and  song — 
all  who  come  near  him  feel  his  strange  charm.  Brave 
men  will  lay  down  their  lives  for  him,  if  need  be  ;  when  his 
fortunes  are  low,  foreign  soldiers  are  willing  to  stand  by 
him  for  better,  for  worse,  and  old  men  are  glad  to  give  him 
of  their  best.  Religion,  too,  is  a  great  reality  to  this  man 
— how  great  we  can  see  from  his  eagerness  to  build  Jeho- 
vah a  house,  and  from  the  deference  he  pays  to  the  word 
of  the  prophet.  His  hope  is  in  God,  therefore  threatened 
mutiny  does  not  paralyze  his  initiative.'  His  darkest  hours 
are  brightened  by  his  faith  in  God,^  who,  he  is  convinced, 
doeth  all  things  well,  and  he  meekly  accepts  his  discipline.^ 
The  hand  that  leads  him  through  his  fortunes  is  indeed  very 
stern.  The  consequences  of  his  great  sin  pursue  him  like 
an  avenging  spirit.     But  his  countrymen  were  right  when 

•  I  S.  30  :  6.  '^  2  S.  16  :  12.  ^  -z  S.  16  :  10  and  15  :  25,  26. 

142 


the  Historians  i  Samuel  2:15 

they  believed  that  it  was  he  who  was  the  chosen  of  Jeho- 
vah. Before  him  the  national  feeling  created  by  Moses 
had  been  gravely  imperilled,  if  not  almost  destroyed,  by 
the  disintegrated  life  of  the  period  of  the  judges.  It  was 
he  who  by  his  genius,  both  for  war  and  peace,  consoli- 
dated the  scattered  interests  of  the  people,  recreated  the 
nation,  and  gave  them  a  not  inconspicuous  place  among 
the  peoples  of  the  world. 


VIII 

THE    RISE    OF    THE    MONARCHY 

I.  Samuel  (i  S.  i  to  15) 
(l)  Samuel  and  the  War  with  the  Philistines  (i  to  7) 
(a)  Samuel's  Birth  and  Call  (i  :  i  to  4  :  i*) 
During  the  priesthood  of  Eli  and  his  sons  at  Jehovah's  Birth  and 
sanctuary  in  Shiloh,  Hannah,  a  devout  woman,  vexed  unto  of  "sfmuer 
tears  at  her  long  barrenness,  beloved  by  her  husband,  but  ^^^ 
taunted  by  his  rival  wife,  and  grievously  misjudged  by  the 
priest  who  watched  her   murmured  prayer,  was  at  last 
blessed  by  God  to  be  the  mother  of  Israel's  seer-prophet. 
In  her  child  Samuel  she  saw  an  answer  to  her  prayer,  and 
when  she  had  weaned  him  she  gave  him  over  to  God's  per- 
petual service  in  his  house,  in  accordance  with  her  vow. 
Now  Eli's  sons  were  corrupt  priests,  claiming  with  in- 

143 


I  Samuel  2  :i8 


The  Messages  of 


Foil  to  the 
corrupt 
priesthood 
(2 :  12-21) 

Eli's  inef- 
fectual re- 
buke 
(2  :  22-26) 


Prophetic 
threat  of 
doom. 
"Thou 
mayest  be 
no  longer 
steward  " 
(2  :  27-36) 


SamuePs 
call  and 
influence 
(3  :  I  to  4 
i») 


Solent  violence  an  unlawful  share  of  the  sacrifices.  But 
in  touching  contrast  to  their  dread  impiety  was  the  gentle 
ministration  of  the  child  Samuel. 

The  aged  Eli  did  indeed  remonstrate  with  his  godless 
sons.  "  What  intercession,"  he  urged,  "  could  save  a  man 
from  the  vengeance  of  offended  God  }  "  But  his  words 
fell  upon  heedless  ears,  and  doom  was  inevitable.  Far 
other  was  it  with  Samuel,  who  grew  in  favor  with  God 
and  man. 

A  man  of  God  announced  divine  judgment  upon  Elfs 
house.  "  God,"  he  said,  "  deals  with  men  as  they  with 
him.  Impiously  unfaithful  to  the  priestly  trust  com- 
mitted to  that  house  in  Egypt,  it  would  forfeit  that  trust, 
and  give  place  to  a  faithful  priest^  whose  descendants 
would  abide  before  the  king  for  ever,  and  fro?n  whom 
Eli's  posterity  would  be  glad  to  earn  a  pittance  by  some 
menial  service  in  the  sanctuary."  ^ 

In  a  day  when  divine  voices  were  rare,  God's  call  came 
to  Samuel,  while  yet  a  child,  ministering  in  the  sanctuary. 
Thrice  he  failed  to  recognize  as  God's  the  voice  which 
called  him,  and  whose  call  he  instantly  obeyed.  But, 
soon  as  he  knew  the  voice  to  be  God's,  it  uttered  a  clear 
stern  message  of  doom  upon  Eli's  impious  house.     With 


^  Zadok  is  in  view,  appointed  by  Solomon  in  the  place  of  Abiathar  (i  K. 

9  :  27)- 

a  Reference  to  the  country  priests  after  the  reform  of  Josiah  (cf.  2  K. 
a3  :  9 ;  Dt.  18  :  6-8). 

144 


tJie  Historians  i  Samuel  5  : 7 

devout  resignation  the  old  man  heard  God's  word  from 
the  trembling  child  lips.  "  It  is  Jehovah,"  said  he,  "  let 
him  do  what  seemeth  him  good. "  As  Samuel  grew,  all 
Israel  knew  him  to  be  a  prophet  of  Jehovah  whose  word 
was  sure,  and  they  flocked  to  Shiloh  for  the  divine  mes- 
sage that  was  his. 

(b)    War  with  the  Philistines  (4  :  i*"  to  7  :  17) 

Repulsed  in  battle  with  the  Philistines  (who  had  op-  The  defeat 
pressed  them  in  the  days  of  Samson),  Israel  sought  to^'^*^'^^^ 
ensure  success  in  the  future  by  bringing  into  battle  the 
ark  of  their  God.  Its  coming  rejoiced  the  Israelites,  but 
struck  terror  into  the  hearts  of  the  Philistines  who  had 
heard  of  the  plagues  with  which  this  God  had  smitten  the 
Egyptians.  Even  the  ark,  however,  did  not  save  Israel 
from  crushing  defeat ;  it  was  itself  captured,  and  the 
wicked  priests  thereof  were  slain.  Tremblingly  did  the 
aged  Eli  wait  for  news  of  the  ark  ;  and  when  he  heard  of 
its  capture,  he  fell  back  and  died.  His  son's  wife  also  died 
in  childbirth,  in  sorrow  for  her  dead,  for  the  captured  ark 
and  the  vanished  glory  of  Israel. 

In  triumph,  the  Philistines  set  the  captured  ark  by  the  Jehovah's 
side  of  their  god  Dagon,  in  his  sanctuary  at  Ashdod ;  but  tanSS^'* 
in  the  morning,  lo !  he  lay  broken  and  prostrate  before  P^ihstia 
Jehovah's  ark  in  obeisance  to  a  mightier  than  he.     The 
people,  too,  were  plagued  with  tumors.     Ascribing  their 
evil  plight  to  the  power  of  Israel's  God,  they  sent  the  ark 
MS 


I  Samuel  5:8  TJie  Messages  of 

on  to  Gath  and  Ekron,  where  it  worked  still  more  havoc 

and  terror. 

The  ark  re-       On  the  advice  of  the  Philistine  diviners,  loth  to  see  their 

22"^  *°  ^^'  people  repeat  the  folly  of  Eg}^ptian  obstinacy,  the  ark  was 

(6: 1  to  7:  i)  allowed  to  go  back  to  the  land  of  Israel  with  a  trespass 

offering  by  way  of   recompense  —  five  golden   tumors/ 

one  for  each  of  the  Philistine  towns.     It  reached  Bethshe- 

mesh  to  the  great  joy  of  the  har\'esters,  and  the  cattle  that 

drove  the  cart  were  offered  in  grateful  sacrifice.    But  soon 

the  joy  was  overcast,  for  the  indifference  of  certain  men ' 

provoked  Jehovah  to  destroy  some  ^  of  them.     In  their 

terror  of  the  holy  and  perilous  presence  of  Jehovah,  they 

sent  on  the  ark  to  Kirjath-jearim,  where  a  certain  Eleazar 

was  consecrated  to  keep  it. 

Samuel's  in-      Since,  theii,  the  ark  was  in  the  land  again,  Samuel 

deUverance  seized  the  occasioii  to  prevail  upon  the  people  to  give  up 

of  the  people  ^^^  M(?  foreign  gods,  a7id  serve  fehovah  only,  and  at  a 

great  gathering  summoned  by  the  prophet  the  contrite 

people  confessed  their    sin.      Their  solemn  gathering, 

however,  was  troubled  by  the  rumor  of  the  Philistine 

advance.     But  the  prayer  of  Samuel  was  7nightier  than 

»  The  mice  appear  to  represent  another  version  of  the  plague,  and  con- 
sequently of  the  offerings.  Both  were  subsequently  combined,  as  we  see 
here,  and  still  more  clearly  in  the  LXX. 

2  The  LXX  has  the  interesting  and  probable  reading  :  "the  sons  of  Je- 
coniah  were  not  glad  with  the  men  of  Bethshemesh." 

3  50,070.  Both  the  number  and  the  grammar  are  suspicious ;  probably 
we  should  read  only  70. 

146 


the  Historians  i  Samuel  8:7 

the  alien  hosts.  For  he  i7iter  ceded  for  his  people  on  their 
earnest  e?itreaty,  and  zn  answer  Jehovah  with  his  thun- 
derstorm confounded  the  foe,  and  they  were  routed  by 
Israel.  Samuel  set  up  a  stone  in  witness  of  Jehovah's 
victory  which  secured  peace  for  Israel  from  the  Philistines 
all  his  days  I '^  In  divers  sanctuaries  did  Samuel  admin- 
ister justice,  chiefly  at  his  home  in  Ramah,  where  he  had 
built  an  altar  to  Jehovah. 

(2)  Israel's  First  King  (8  to  15)' 

A 
In  search  of  stray  asses,  a  young  man  named  Saul,  of 
mighty  stature,  chanced  upon  the  spot  where  a  sacred 

B 

Provoked  by  the  venality  of  Samuel's  sons,  his  success-  The  demand 
ors  in  the  administration  of  justice,  the  elders  asked  Sam-  [he  refe'ctfoS 
uel  to  make  them  like  their  neighbors  by  appointing  them  of  Jehovah 
a  king.     With  a  sore  heart  Samuel  took  their  request  to 
God  in  prayer.     For  Jehovah  was  King  of  Israel  :  to  ask 
for  another  was  to  reject  Jehovah  himself ;  and  the  choice 

1  Not  so  the  older  sources  (cf.  9  :  16  and  14  :  52). 

2  The  paraphrase,  from  this  point  to  2  S.  1,  follows  the  analysis  of  Profess- 
or H.  P.  Smith,  in  the  International  CHtical  Commentary  on  Samuel.  A 
and  B  are  themselves  most  probably  the  result  of  compilation.  B,  though 
containing  facts  which,  sometimes  contradictory  of  A,  are  often  quite  com- 
patible with  it,  is  obviously,  in  the  main,  the  less  historical  of  the  two  narra- 
tives 

147 


I  Samuel  9 :  i  The  Messages  of 

A 

The  king  a  festival  was  about  to  be  conducted  by  Samuel  the  proph- 
sLiunornt'-  et,  or  "  scer  "  as  he  used  to  be  called — one  who  for  a  fee 
ed  by  Sam-  ^^rQ^j^j  reveal  what  men  desired  to  know ;  and  the  seer 

uel  ' 

(9 : 1  to  10 :  was  led  by  a  divine  impulse  to  recognize  in  Saul  the  king 
to  be.  For,  in  pity  for  his  people  galled  by  the  Philistine 
yoke,  Jehovah  had  sent  in  him  a  captain  to  save  them. 
So  this  searcher  for  asses,  after  royal  entertainment  at 
the  hands  of  Samuel,  was  anointed  king  by  the  will  of 
God. 
Saul  among  To  reassure  and  confirm  him,  Samuel  gave  him  three 
(10  Ta^fe'r' signs,  all  full  of  meaning,  but  most  of  all  the  third.  Ac- 
cording to  this,  he  was  to  join  a  band  of  ecstatic  proph- 

B 

of  a  human  king  would  cost  them  many  a  sorrow.  It 
would  mean  the  loss  of  liberty  and  land,  and  heavy  tax- 
ation to  maintain  the  court ;  and  no  repentance  could 
avert  this  doom.  But  the  people,  heedless  of  Samuel's 
expostulation,  clamored  for  a  king. 
Saulac-  Samuel,  reminding  them  publicly  in  Mizpah  that  their 

(ioTi7-27"^  demand  was  at  once  an  ingratitude  and  an  apostasy,  pro- 
ceeded to  his  fateful  task.  By  the  sacred  lot,  the  king  to 
be  was  discovered — a  modest  man  of  mighty  stature — and 
his  presence  was  hailed  with  shouts  of  royal  welcome. 

Now  that  a  king  had  been  appointed,  the  hoary  Samuel, 
whose  work  as  judge  was  done,  spoke  his  farewell  words 
148 


the  Historians  i  Samuel  12:17 

A 
ets,  and,  touched  by  their  enthusiasm,  he  was,  in  the  as- 
surance of  divine  help,  to  seize  his  opportunity  to  control 
and  guide  it  into  a  movement  for  the  deliverance  of  his 
people.  The  interview  with  Samuel  made  another  man 
of  Saul.  To  the  surprise  of  all — a  surprise  which  passed 
into  a  proverb  ^ — he  joined  the  prophetic  band,  and  was 
touched  by  their  spirit.  But  on  his  return,  he  said  not  a 
word  to  his  uncle  about  the  kingdom. 

Soon  Saul's  opportunity  '^  came.     The  Ammonites  at-  The  occa- 
tacked  Jabesh  in  Gilead  and  would  accept  its  surrender  man.  "slui* 
only  on  barbarous  terms.     Jabesh  appealed  to  Israel ;  the  Ammonkes 
people  could  answer  only  with  the  tears  of  despair.     Saul,  and  is 

crowned 
"  king  (11) 

B 

to  the  people.     He  asserted  unchallenged  his  unswerving  Samuel's 
integrity.    He  reminded  the  people  how,  from  the  days  of  d^trf  a^et- 
old  in  Egypt  on  to  his  own  day,  God  had  always  raised  up  rospect  and 

^J  ^  •' '  .  a  prospect 

deliverers  for  them  when  they  turned  to  him  in  penitence.  (12) 
But  lo  !  in  the  terror  of  the  recent  Ammonite  invasion 
they  had  clamored  for  a  king,  forgetting  that  their  God  was 
their  king.  Even  yet,  however,  in  spite  of  their  wicked 
demand  for  a  king,  all  would  be  well  if  they  would  obey 
and  serve  their  God  :  but  rebellion  would  call  down  his 
judgment.  In  proof  whereof,  he  appealed  to  the  thunder- 
storm, which  miraculously  broke,  at  his  word,  from  the 

*  The  proverb  has  another  setting  in  19  :  24.  ^  Cf,  iq  :  7. 

149 


I  Samuel  II  :7  The  Messages  of 

A 
however,  in  the  freshness  of  his  new  enthusiasm,  peremp- 
torily summoned  a  levy  of  all  Israel,  attacked  and  utterly 
routed  the  Ammonites.     Then  in  recognition  of  his  king- 
ly deed,  the  people  made  him  king  ^  in  Gilgal  and  held  a 
religious  festival  of  coronation. 
Successful        The  king  now  set  himself  to  his  real  task  of  expelling 
fh?Phnis-     ^^^  Philistines.     His  son  Jonathan  opened  the  war  by  a 
tines  (13:  I-  successful  attack  on  a  Philistine  garrison.     The  enemy 

7'   i5''-23  • 

14 :  1-23)'  then  ravaged  the  land  in  three  directions,  and  Saul  had  but 
six  hundred  men.  Though  the  forces  were  thus  reduced,' 
however,  the  brave  Jonathan  was  in  no  wise  dispirited. 

B 

summer  sky.  In  fear  the  people  acknowledged  their  sin, 
and  entreated  Samuel's  intercession.  He  comforted  them, 
warned  them  against  apostasy,  and  encouraged  them  by 
reminding  them  of  Jehovah's  great  purpose  in  making 
them  his  people.^ 

Soon  the   truth  of  Samuel's  words  touching  the  king 

»  "  Renew  the  kingdom  "  (v.  14)  is  a  redactional  attempt  to  reconcile  the 
two  versions  of  the  storj'. 

>"And  disarmed,"  this  is  the  substance  of  verses  19-22.  The  text  of 
this  section,  however,  is  corrupt,  and  the  section  itself  probably  an  interpo- 
lation. 

s  This  chapter  is  in  the  main,  obviously  Deuteronomic.  It  has  not  been 
printed  in  italics,  however,  because  it  forms  part  of  a  history  all  of  which  is, 
in  its  present  form,  late,  though  it  could  not  all  be  strictly  called  Deutero- 
nomic. 


the  Historians  •  i  Samuel  15:23 

A 

With  complete  confidence  in  Israel's  God,  who  could  save 
by  few  as  by  many,  and  supported  only  by  his  armor- 
bearer,  he  committed  himself,  at  a  given  omen,  to  the  per- 
ilous attack,  and  together  they  wrought  havoc  among  the 
foe.  Then  followed  a  heaven-sent  panic  which  induced 
Saul  to  consult  the  oracle  and  make  the  attack  with  his 
main  body  without  waiting  for  an  answer — so  opportune 
was  the  moment — and  his  victory  was  complete. 

To  retain  the  manifest  favor  of  Jehovah,  Saul  ordained  The  taboo 
a  fast  for  that  day  till  sunset,  and  laid  a  curse  upon  any  ^^'^ '  ^^'^^^ 
who  ate  food.     Jonathan,  who  had  not  heard  his  father's 

B 
proved  too  fatally  clear.     In  the  name  of  Jehovah,  he  had  Therejec- 
bidden  Saul  devote  to  destruction  the  whole  of  Amalek,  (15 :  i.23> 
man  and  beast,  for  their  ancient  unkindness  to  Israel,' 
warning  the  friendly  Kenites  ^  to  depart.     Saul,  however, 
in  wilful  disobedience  to  the  divine  word,  spared  the  king 
and  the  best  of  the  cattle,  and  defended  himself  from  the 
rebuke  of  Samuel  by  an   absurd  evasion.     For  his  dis- 
obedience— a  sin  as  dread  as  soothsaying — Samuel  sol- 
emnly pronounced  his  rejection  by  the  God  whose  word 
he  had  rejected.^ 

J  Cf.  Ex.  17  :  8-16.  »  Cf.  Jud.  I  :  16. 

3  Another  and  less  satisfactory  version  of  the  rejection — though  the  two 
have  much  in  common — is  to  be  found  in  13  :  7''- 15*.  There  Saul,  after 
waiting  the  time  appointed  by  Samuel,  offered  sacrifice  himself.   The  ground 


I  Samuel  14:27  ^  The  Messages  of 

A 

curse,  partook  of  some  tempting  honey.  The  long  fast  had 
impaired  the  fighting  vigor  of  the  troops,  to  the  sorrow  of 
the  outspoken  Jonathan  ;  and  at  sunset,  the  famished  men 
flew  upon  the  captured  animals,  and  devoured  them — 
blood  and  all,  which  was  sinful ;  for  the  blood  was  Je- 
hovah's and  should  have  been  poured  out  to  him.  So  the 
scrupulous  Saul  erected  a  stone  altar  and  had  the  animals 
slaughtered  there,  that  Jehovah  might  get  his  portion. 
Jonathan  Before  renewing  the  attack,  Saul  consulted  the  oracle, 

fhe^p^Jopie^^  at  the  suggestion  of  the  priest ;  but  there  was  no  response. 

from  death    Then  Saul  kucw  that  there  was  sin  somewhere  ;  so  he 
^    ..... 

52) 


(14 :  36-46, 
2) 


B 

Saul's  un-  Fervently  did  Saul  confess  his  sin  and  entreat    pardon.     For 

availing  con- gjjg^yg,.  Samuel  pronounced  the  same  stern  words  of  doom,  and 

lession 

(15  :  24-31)     turned  to  go.     In  despair,  Saul  caught  hold  of  his  skirt,  and  it 

rent.  "Even  so,"  said  Samuel,  "hath  the  immutable  God  of 
Israel  rent  thy  kingdom  and  given  it  to  thy  neighbor,  who  is  bet- 
ter than  thou."     But  he  left  him  the  semblance  of  kingly  honor.' 

Samuel  de-        Then,  sword  in  hand,  Samuel  himself  at  the  sanctuary 
To  destm?  executed  upon  the  surviving  king  of  Israel's  foes  the  cruel 

tion 

(15:  32-35)  of  his  rejection  in  not  "keeping  the  commandment  of  Jehovah,"  is  not 
very  intelligible,  as  he  kept  the  only  commandment  given,  at  least  recorded, 
v.  8. 

1  This  section,  which  is  unnecessary  to  the  sense,  and  perhaps  contradicts 
the  context  (cf.  v.  29  with  v.  11),  may  be  an  interpolation.  Samuel's  slaugh- 
ter of  Agag  would  fitly  follow  his  word  of  doom. 


the  Historians  i  Samuel  17:10 

A 

sternly  set  himself  by  the  use  of  the  lot '  to  find  out  the 
sinner,  and  lo !  it  was  Jonathan,  who  by  his  eating  had 
fallen  under  Saul's  curse.  The  father  would  have  had  him 
slain ;  but  the  people,  knowing  that  to  him,  under  God, 
the  victory  was  due,  saved  him.  The  Philistines  then  re- 
tired. But  there  continued  to  be  sore  war  between  them  , 
and  Israel,  all  the  days  of  the  life  of  Saul;  and  whenever 
Saul  saw  any  mighty  man,  it  was  his  custom  to  attach 
him  to  his  body-guard. 

Saul  waged  divers  wars  and  was  victorious  against  his  Saul's  wars 
enemies  on  every  side,  and  Abner  was  his  general.     He  ^J^  :  4^5^) 

B 

judgment  which  he  deserved.   Thus  far  the  ban  was  com- 
pleted ;  and  Saul  and  Samuel  parted. 

Saul  had  been  rejected  :  the  destined  man  is  David.  Oayid 
Once  more  it  is  Samuel  who  is  charged  with  the  high  (16: 1-13) 
mission  of  finding  and  anointing  the  king.  Against  his 
judgment  and  expectation,  he  was  divinely  led  to  the 
choice  of  David,  the  youngest  son  of  Jesse,  a  ruddy  shep- 
herd boy.  From  the  day  of  David's  anointing  the  spirit 
of  Jehovah  came  upon  him. 

Now   the   Philistines   invaded    Israel,  and   their  giant  His  victory 

champion  Goliath  offered  a  challenge  to  single  combat  "^^^^  i  \q^^ 

18  :  5) 
'  The  LXX  of  V.  41  makes  it  clear  that  the  Urim  and  the  Thumraim 

were  the  means  employed. 


I  Samuel  14:49  The  Messages  of 

A 

had  also  sons  and  daughters  whose  names  bore  witness 
to  his  piety.^ 

2.  Saul  and  David  (i  S.  16  to  2  S.  i) 

David  at  the      Saul  was  afflicted  with  a  mental  malady,  and  his  ser- 

(Jefn-aa)    vants  recommended  him  to  procure  a  skilful  minstrel  to 

soothe  and  heal  the  distemper.     Such  an  one  he  found  in 

the  warrior  David,  the  wise  and  comely.     Saul  loved  him 

and  was  soothed  by  his  minstrelsy. 

Saul's  at-  David's  military  success,  extolled  by  the  women  in  song, 

nTof  Davfd  roused  the  anger  and  jealousy  of  Saul,  and  he  sought  to 

(18 :  6-30)     gg^  j.j^  q£  j-j^g  Ti\d^\  whom  he  feared.'^   So  first  he  gave  him 

B 

which  threw  Israel — king  and  people — into  consternation.' 
But  David  accepted  the  challenge  and  sought  to  sustain 
Saul's  heart  by  tales  of  his  shepherd  life,  in  which  many  a 

1  This  section  has  all  the  appearance  of  having  stood  later  in  the  original 
narrative.  V.  52  follows  46,  and  appears  to  be  immediately  followed  by 
16  :  14-23. 

3  Vv.  10,  II,  duplicate  and  anticipate  19  :  9,  10.  Besides  being  psycholog- 
ically inappropriate  at  so  early  a  stage,  they  are  omitted  in  a  very  impor- 
tant MS.  of  the  LXX  (Vatican). 

8  The  Greek  MS.,  which  omits  18  :  10,  11,  also  omits  17  :  12-31,  together 
with  17  :  55  to  18  :  5  and  also  18  :  17-19  which  depends  upon  17  :  25.  With 
those  omissions,  most  of  the  inconsistencies  of  the  narrative  disappear.  The 
omitted  passages  were  probably  taken  from  a  lost  biography  of  David,  and 
inserted,  at  a  late  date,  in  tke  books  of  Samuel. 


the  Historians  i  Samuel  19:4 

A 

a  perilous  post  of  honor  in  the  army.  Then,  as  that  but 
added  fresh  lustre  to  his  name,  he  took  advantage  of  his 
daughter  Michal's  affection  for  him,  to  expose  him  to  the 
risk  of  a  raid  on  the  Philistines;  but  again  he  was  tri- 
umphant.    So  Saul  gave  her  to  him  in  marriage. 

On  his  wedding  night  the  jealous  king  sent  men  to  slay  David  es- 
him  :  but,  by  the  ready  wit  of  his  wife,  who  substituted  for  J^^g"  1-17) 
him  an  oracular  image,  he  made  good  his  escape  unarmed. 

On  reaching  Nob,  a  sanctuary  near  Jerusalem,  he  induced  David  is  re- 
the  startled  priest,  by  his  adroitness  and  his  regard  for  the  Ahlmdech 
demands  of  religion,  to  give  him  some  bread,  consecrated  the  pnest 
though  it  was,  and  Goliath's  sword. 

B 

time  he  had  slain  a  lion  and  a  bear ;  the  living  God  who 
had  delivered  him  then,  would  surely  deliver  him  now,  he 
said,  from  this  profane  uncircumcised  braggart,  who  defied 
his  hosts.  With  no  weapons,  then,  but  sling  and  stones  and 
faith  in  Jehovah  the  God  of  Israel's  hosts,  who  could  save 
without  sword  or  spear,  he  laid  the  giant  low  and  showed 
the  world  that  Israel  had  a  God.  The  Philistines  were 
utterly  routed. 

Saul,  however,  incited  Jonathan  and  all  his  servants  to  Saul's  en- 
remove  David  by  assassination.     But  Jonathan,  who  loved  jUnaSTan's 
David,  woke  a  tender  chord  in  bis   father's  heart,  by  re-  fnterceSn 
minding  him  of  the  service  he  had  rendered  the  people  in  (^9  '•  1-7) 

155 


I  Samuel  22:1  The  Messages  of 

A 

He  and  his  Then  he  betook  him  to  a  stronghold  in  western  Judah, 
Ad"u1iam  wherc  he  gathered  about  him  a  band  of  desperate  and 
(22 :  1, 2)      embittered  men. 

The  murder      Saul,  upbraiding  his  courtiers  for  their  foolish  and  dis- 
at  the  com-^^  W^l  interest  in  David,  the  penniless  adventurer,  was  at 
mand  of       Q^ce  informed  by  Doeg  that  David  had  received  practical 
(22 :  6-23)     aid  and  religious  guidance  from  the  priest  at  Nob.    Ahim- 
elech  admitted  the  charge,  but  avowed  the  innocence  of 
his  intention  and  the  loyalty  of  David.     Nevertheless,  he 
and  all  the  priests  of  the  city  were  slain  in  cold  blood,  at 
the  command  of  Saul,  by  Doeg ;  for  the  body-guard  re- 
fused, deeming  the  priests  inviolable.     Only  one  escaped 

B 

slaying  Goliath.  So  for  the  time,  David  was  continued  at 
court.' 

1  This  seems  to  be  a  duplicate  of  the  story  in  ch.  20,  though  that  chapter 
cannot  easily  be  fitted  into  the  other  document,  any  more  than  into  this  one. 
It  may  originally  have  belonged  to  a  separate  biography,  such  as  that  which 
we  found  to  be  represented  in  the  Hebrew  of  chs.  17  and   18,  though  ab- 
\  sent  from  the  Greek.     It  will  be  noticed  that  in  ch.  20,  as  against   19  :  1-7, 

Jonathan's  friendship  is  unavailing.  The  substance  of  the  chapter  is  as  fol- 
lows: "David  disclosed  to  the  trusty  Jonathan  his  father's  murderous  designs 
against  him.  Jonathan,  unwilling  to  believe  it,  yet  vowed  to  do  all  he  could 
for  him  in  accordance  with  their  plighted  troth  (cf.  18  :  1-5).  They  planned 
that  David  should  go  into  hiding  for  a  day  or  two,  and  that  Jonathan 
should  pretend  to  his  father  that  he  had  gone  to  keep  a  sacred  festival  of  his 
clan  at  Bethlehem.  This  excuse  would  test  Saul's  attitude  toward  him, 
and,  by  a  preconcerted  sign,  Jonathan  was  to  indicate  to  David  whether  to 

156 


the  Historians  i  Samuel  19:24 

A 

— Abiathar ;  David,  the  cause  of  the  slaughter,  vowed  to 
protect  him,  and  in  this  way  came  to  have  access  to  the 
oracle. 

After  consulting  the  oracle,  David  attacked  and  de-saui  hunts 
feated  the  Philistines  who  were  plundering  Keilah.  There  ^^^'^  ^^3) 
the  implacable  Saul  purposed  to  capture  him  ;  but,  by  the 
advice  of  the  oracle,  he  retired  with  his  band  to  the  wil- 
derness.' Again  did  Saul,  being  informed  of  his  where- 
abouts, seek  to  hunt  him  down,  and  all  but  had  him ;  but 
he  was  miraculously  preserved  by  another  Philistine  raid, 
which  called  off  the  attention  of  Saul. 

Hearing  that  the  wealthy  Nabal  was  holding  festival  at 

B 

Subsequent  successes  of  David,  however,  so  inflamed  Saul's  at- 
Saul's  jealousy  that  he  hurled  his  spear  at  him  with  intent  i5av^id'^"iife, 
to  pin  him  to  the  wall ;  but  David  escaped  to  Samuel's  ^"'^  David's 

'^  *^  escape  to 

home  in  Ramah,  where   he  was  miraculously  protected  Ramah  (19 : 
from  the  vmdictiveness  of  Saul. 

flee  or  stay.  At  Jonathan's  plea  for  David's  absence,  Saul's  jealous  anger 
blazed  forth,  and  he  cast  a  spear  at  his  son.  In  sorrow  and  wrath,  Jon- 
athan went  forth  and  gave  David  the  sign  for  instant  flight."  Vv.  40-42 
are  a  certain  interpolation.  The  terms  of  the  preceding  verses,  rightly  un- 
derstood,  imply  that  Jonathan  dare  not  be  seen  in  David's  company. 

1  Vv.  15-18,  describing  the  interview  and  covenant  between  Jonathan  and 
David,  appear  to  be  an  interpolation.  The  covenant  has  already  been 
made :  20  :  8,  cf.  18  :  3. 


1  Samuel  25:5  The  Messages  of 


The  ways  of  the  sheep-shearing,  David  requested  some  provision  from 
his  band"      him  for  his  band,  urging  that,  so  far  from  plundering  his 
Abi^tund  shepherds,  as  they  might  have  done,  his  men  had  actually 
Ahinoam      protected  them.     The  churlish  Nabal  insolently  refused. 
At  once  David  and  his  men  girt  on  their  swords  for  ven- 
geance.    But  Abigail,  the  wife  of  Nabal,  with  prompt  and 
gracious  tact,  disarmed  his  wrath  by  bringing  a  costly 
present,  and  expressing  a  desire  for  his  welfare,  with  the 
hope  that  she  w^ould  be  remembered  when  he  came  to  his 
own.     In  her  coming  David  saw  a  divine  interposition, 
and  also  in   the  death  of  the  "  foolish  "  Nabal,*  which 


B 

He  flees  to        Thence  he  passed  to  Achish,  King  of  Gath.     The  Philis- 
(2^:  lo-is)    tine  courtiers,  however,  were  naturally  suspicious  of  the 
Removes  his  ^^^y^^  of  Goliath,  and  prudence  compelled  him  to  leave." 
parents  to         For  Safety,  David  put  his  parents  in  charge  of  the  king 
(22 :  3-5)       of  Moab. 

Spares  Saul       No  soouer  was  Saul  returned  from  his  pursuit  of  the 

{24) 

Philistines  than  he  renewed  his  hunt  of  David.  But  Je- 
hovah was  preserving  him  ;  and  Saul  fell  into  David's  power 
so  completely  that  he  could  have  slain  him  at  a  blow,  and 
he  had  much  to  do  to  restrain  his  men.     But  he  would 

*  V.  25.     Nabhal  (fool)  is  his  name,  and  nebhalah  (folly)  is  with  him. 
'  This  section  is  parallel  to  ch.  27  in  the  main  fact  of  David's  appearance 
at  the  court  of  Achish. 

158 


the  Historians  i  Samuel  24:22 

A 

speedily  followed  his  debauch.  Then  David  took  Abigail 
to  wife,  and  also  Ahinoam,  Saul  having  given  Michal  to 
another. 

David  spared  Saul's   life  when  Abishai  was  eager  to 
take  it  (26).> 

In  ceaseless  terror  of  his  life,  David  offered  his  services  David 
and  those  of  his  band  to  the  Philistine  Achish.     Receiv-  AJhtsh  of 
ing  from  him  a  border  town,  Ziklag,  he  waged  extermi- ^^^'^'j    .. 
nating  war  on  the  neighboring  Bedawin  tribes  ;  but,  by  pre-  confidence 
tending  that  his  raids  were  really  upon  the  clans  of  Judah,  28  \  2) 
he  so  won  the  confidence  of  Achish  that  that  king  sum- 

B 

not  put  forth  his  hand  against  Jehovah's  anointed.  He 
trusted  in  God  to  justify  and  finally  deliver  him,  content- 
ing himself  with  carrying  off  a  trophy  which  proved  what 
he  might  have  done  ;  and  even  for  that  his  heart  accused 
him.  His  unexpected  magnanimity  moved  Saul  to  tears, 
and  something  of  his  old  nobleness  gleams  through  his 
contrite  words.  Foreseeing  that  the  future  lay  with  David, 
he  entreated  him  to  spare  his  posterity,  and  not  blot  out 
his  name  ;  and  David  sware.' 

When  Samuel  was  dead,  the  Philistines  mustered  their 

*  Duplicated  in  ch.  24. 

'  This  chapter  is  parallel  in  the  main  to  26,  which  is  probably  the  older 
source. 


I  Samuel  28  :  i 


The  Messages  of 


David  is 
fina  ly  dis- 
missed (29) 


Amalekites 
attack 
Ziklag. 
David  re- 
covers the 
spoil 
(30  :  1-20) 


The  end  of 
disobedience 
is  death. 
Saul's  doom 
pronuunced 
by  the  shade 
of  Samuel 
(28  :  3-25) 


moned  his  aid  for  the  projected  war  with  Israel,  and  made 
him  captain  of  his  body-guard.  David  guardedly  prom- 
ised to  let  his  power  be  felt. 

He  accompanied  the  Philistines  to  the  plain  of  Es- 
draelon.  But  his  presence  excited  the  not  unnatural  sus- 
picion and  anger  of  the  Philistine  lords,  who  compelled 
Achish,  despite  his  assertions  of  David's  fidelity,  reluct- 
antly and  courteously  to  dismiss  him.' 

So  David  returned  to  Ziklag,  only  to  find  that  the  town 
had  been  burnt  and  the  women  and  children  captured — 
as  he  providentially  learned — by  the  Amalekites  who  had 
attacked  Philistia  and  Judah.     A  threatened  mutiny  of  his 

B 

hosts,  and  in  terror  Saul  sought  the  will  of  God  ;  but 
there  came  no  answer,  through  dream  or  priest  or  prophet. 
Then  in  despair  he  betook  him  to  a  witch — he  who  had 
erstwhile  sought  to  root  out  all  such — that  through  her 
he  might  wring  a  word  of  counsel  from  the  dead  Samuel. 
Howbeit,  no  word  had  he,  when  he  rose,  for  the  God- 
forsaken king,  but  one  of  stern  doom  for  the  old  dis- 
obedience— defeat  and  death.  Then,  sore  against  his  will, 
the  troubled  king  was  constrained  to  take  a  morsel  of 
food,  and  forth  he  fared  in  the  night  to  his  doom. 

*  This  departure  is  clearly  a  parallel  to  that  implied  in  21  :  10-15.  It  is 
similarly  motived  in  both  cases.  The  other  story  sets  David  in  a  less 
pleasing  light. 

160 


the  Historians  2  Samuel  2  : 7 

A 

own  men  did  not  daunt  the  heart  of  David,  for  his  trust 
was  in  his  God.  With  all  speed  he  consulted  the  oracle, 
overtook  and  routed  the  foe,  recovering  all  that  had  been 
lost,  with  much  booty. 

Now  some  of  the  unprincipled  spirits  who  had  taken  The  law  of 
part  in  the  pursuit,  proposed  that  those  who  had  been  too  (3°o°!^2i-3i) 
faint  to  help  them  should  have  no  share  in  the  booty.  But 
David  rebuked  the  proposal  as  an  injustice  and  an  ingrat- 
itude to  the  God  who  had  graciously  given  them  the  vic- 
tory ;  henceforth  it  became  the  law — that  all  should  share 
alike.'  Out  of  the  spoil,  David  sent  presents  to  the  neigh- 
boring clans,  with  a  view  to  securing  their  friendship. 

B 

For  in  the  battle  on  Gilboa  Israel  was  defeated  and  The  doom 
Saul  took  his  own  life.  The  Philistines  put  his  armor  "  ^ 
in  the  temple  of  their  goddess,  and  fastened  his  headless 
body  to  a  wall ;  but  the  men  of  Jabesh,  whom  Saul  had 
succored  on  the  threshold  of  his  career,  with  the  boldness 
of  gratitude,  stole  his  body  from  the  insolent  foe  and 
buried  the  bones  in  their  ov/n  town  with  mourning. 

When  David  heard  of  it,  he  invoked  a  blessing  on  them,  David 

,  .       ,  .         ,  blesses  the 

and  promised  to  requite  them.  men  of 

^  This  law,  here  conceived  as  rising  out  of  David's  ruling,  is  characteris-  rt<^^^  .  .b.-\ 
tically  carried  back  by  the  priestly  historian  to  Mosaic  precedent  (Num. 
31  :  27).     It  is  interesting,  however,  to  find  that  there,  too,  it  is  associated 
with  a  historical  or  quasi- historical  incident.     The  two  passages  throw  sug- 
gestive light  on  the  origin  of  Israel's  legislation,  and  its  relation  to  history, 

i6i 


2  Samuel  i :  i  The  Messages  of 

A 

The  death  It  was  Amalek  that  had  lately  wronged  David  ;  and  it 
(jff^;  j.i8)  was  an  Amalekite  that  brought  to  him  in  Ziklag  word  of 
the  issue  of  the  battle  of  Israel  against  the  Philistines,  and 
of  the  death  of  Saul  and  Jonathan  :  Saul,  he  said,  he  had 
slain  with  his  own  hand.  But  not  welcome  were  these 
tidings  to  the  noble  soul  of  David.  In  grief  and  anger, 
he  had  the  stranger  put  to  death,  for  that  he  had  destroyed 
Jehovah's  anointed  ; '  and  he  lamented  over  Saul  and  his 
beloved  Jonathan  in  an  elegy  that  is  preserved  in  the 
Book  of  the  Brave. 

3.  King  David  (2  S.  2  to  i  K.  2) 

(i)  In  Hebron  (2  S.  2  to  4) 

David,  King     On  the  advice  of  the  oracle,  David  and  his  soldier  band 
(f  ]^it^      yN^xvX  up  to  Hebron,  where  the  men  of  his  own  tribe,  Judah, 

anointed  him  their  king. 
Struggle  be-     Saul  had  perished,  but  not  his  kingdom  ;  for  his  son, 
SdTshwf  Ishbaal,'  supported  by  Abner,  Saul's  general,  maintained 
(2:8to3:i)jt  j^  northern  Israel,  while  David  enjoyed  the  allegiance 

of  Judah.     Thus  war  between  the  rival  kings  was  inev- 

1  Cf.  24  :  6,  10  and  26  :  9,  11,  16,  23. 

2  This,  which  means  "  man  of  Baal,"  was  certainly  his  original  name  (cf. 
I  Chr.  8  :  33).  In  earher  times,  Jehovah  could  also  be  called  Baal.  In  i  S. 
14  :  49,  this  same  man  is  called  Ishvi,  which  stands  for  "  man  of  Jehovah." 
But  later  ages,  to  which  the  word  Baal  was  distasteful  (cf.  Hos.  2  :  16,  17), 
usually  turned  it  into  "bosheth"  (=  shame)  when  it  appeared  in  proper 
names.     So  here  "  man  of  shame." 

162 


the  Historians  2  Samuel  3:34 

itable.  In  the  battle  of  Gibeon,  David's  men  were  vic- 
torious ;  but  in  the  pursuit  the  fleet  Asahel,  brother  of 
David's  general  Joab,  was  slain  by  Abner,  though  not 
without  repeated  warning  ;  for  Abner  was  loth  to  provoke 
the  blood  feud  that  must  follow.  Pressed  by  the  long 
pursuit,  Abner  called  on  the  relentless  Joab  to  stay  his 
men  ;  it  were  a  horrible  thing  to  wipe  out  a  brother  clan. 
So  he  checked  the  pursuit.  The  armies  disbanded  to 
their  respective  quarters  with  heavy  loss  on  Israel's  side ; 
and  David's  cause  grew  stronger  and  stronger. 

During  the  war,  Abner  usurped  Ishbaal's  royal  pre- Abner  slain 
rogative  by  taking  to  himself  one  of  Saul's  concubines.  J'Jiteo) 
Irritated  by  Ishbaal's  remonstrance,  he  at  once  offered 
to  procure  for  David  Israel's  allegiance — an  offer  which 
David  accepted  on  condition  that  his  former  wife  Michal 
be  restored  to  him  ;  ^  and  David  dismissed  Abner  in  peace. 
But,  peace  notwithstanding,  the  stern  Joab,  boldly  up- 
braiding the  king  for  failing  to  avenge  his  slain  kinsman,'' 
and  imputing  treachery  to  Abner's  offer,  cunningly  slew 
him  and  so  avenged  his  brother.  David  was  sorely  grieved 
at  the  death  of  this  his  former  foe.  With  tears  and  fast- 
ing, he  protested  his  own  innocence,  invoked  a  curse  on 
the  murderer's  house,  and  in  an  elegy  lamented  the  hero 
who  had  met  so  dishonored  a  doom.     Custom  was  in- 

1  This  might  further  help  to  cement  the  bond  between  the  two  kingdoms. 

2  Nephew.     Abishai,  Joab,  and   Asahel  were  sons   of  Zeruiah,  David's 
sister  (i  Chr.  2  :  16). 

163 


2  Samuel  3  :  37 


The  Messages  of 


Ishbaal 


deed  on  the  side  of  the  murderer ;  but  "  may  Jehovah," 
he  prayed,  "  requite  the  evildoer  !  " 

Ishbaal's  cause  was  now  tottering.     The 


assassinated  ^^^^  Meribbaal,'  Jonathan's  son,  was  a  cripple 


David  king 
over  all 
Israel 
(5  :  x-5) 

Philistine 
attack  and 
defeat 
(5  :  X7-25. 
and  21  :  15- 
22) 


David's 
capture  of 
Jerusalem  ; 
growing  suc- 
cess (5:6- 
16;  3  :  2-5) 


heir  next  to 
.  Two  gue- 
rilla captains  seized  their  opportunity  to  remove  the  feeble 
king.  They  stole  upon  him  while  taking  his  siesta,  assas- 
sinated him,  and  carried  his  head  in  triumph  to  David. 
But  they  had  reckoned  without  their  host.  For  reward, 
David  had  them  slain,  mutilated  and  hanged,  and  the 
head  of  Ishbaal  was  buried  in  Abner's  tomb. 

(2)  In  Jerusalem  (2  S.  5  to  I  K.  2) 
(a)    Years  of  Prosperity  (2  S.  5  to  10) 

Union  was  now  possible.  The  elders  of  Israel  offered 
David  their  allegiance  in  Hebron,  and  anointed  him  king 
over  Israel. 

Naturally  this  union  excited  the  alarm  of  the  Philistines, 
who  advanced  to  the  valley  of  Rephaim,  near  Jerusalem. 
Twice,  by  the  help  of  Jehovah,  they  were  repulsed  by 
David,  who  attacked  on  the  advice  of  the  oracle  ;  and  four 
of  David's  mighty  men  slew  four  Philistine  champions  in 
single  combat. 

This  campaign,  however,  made  it  clear  that  if  the  two 
kingdoms  were  to  be  really  one,  Jerusalem,  then  the 
mighty  stronghold    of    the    Jebusites,  must    be    taken. 

34 ;  9  :  40)  changed  to  Mephibosheth.     See 


1  His  real  name  (cf.  i  Chr.  8 
note  on  Ishbaal,  p.  162. 


164 


the  Historians  2  Samuel  6  :  23 

Taunted  by  its  defenders,  David  assailed  and  took  the 
all  but  impregnable  fortress  and  called  it  the  city  of 
David.  His  growing  success  won  him  the  friendship 
of  the  trading  King  of  Tyre,  and  was  marked  by  an 
increase  of  his  harem  beyond  that  which  he  had  en- 
joyed in  Hebron. 

Now  that  David  had  a  capital,  he  was  eager  to  find  a  Removal  of 
place  therein  for  the  recognition  of  Jehovah,  the  God  of  jeruTaiem 
Israel's  hosts.     So  he  planned  to  bring  the  ark  up  thither  ^^  •  ^'^9) 
from  the  place  where  it  was.  *     The  rejoicings  were  worthy 
of  the  great  occasion  ;  but  soon  they  were  overcast.     An 
accident  on  the  way  cost  the  life  of  Uzzah  the  overbold, 
and  David,  in  fear  of  the  inscrutable  Jehovah,  would  take 
the  ark  no  farther  then,  but  turned  it  aside  to  the  house 
of  one  of  his  Philistine  body-guard.     The  manifest  bless- 
ing that  fell  upon  this  man's  house  rekindled  David's  hope 
and  purpose,  and  with  great  gladness  the  ark  was  brought 
up  to  the  city  of  David.   The  king  blessed  the  people,  and 
dismissed  them  to  their  homes  with  gifts  of  food. 

The  public  rejoicing,  however,  was  marred  by  domestic  Michal's 
bitterness.  Michal  met  her  husband  with  words  of  sar-  (6""2o-23) 
casm  for  the  shamelessness  into  which  the  excess  of  his  joy 
had  betrayed  him.  It  was,  replied  David,  religious  joy — in 
honor  of  the  God  who  had  chosen  him  above  her  father ; 
his  zeal  would  not  be  misunderstood.  From  that  day 
Michal  was  childless. 

» I  s.  7  :  I. 

165 


2  Samuel  8  :  i  TJie  Messages  of 

David's  By  the  help  of  Jehovah,  David's  arms  were  successful 

wars 

(8  :  1-14)       on  every  side — against  Philistia,  Moab,  Aram,^  Edom,  and 

elsewhere.^     The  spoil  he  dedicated  to  the  God  who  had 

prospered  him. 

David's  Besides  being  ruler  in  war,  he  also  superintended  the 

fs^is-iS)     administration  of  justice,  and  court  officials  presided  over 

various  departments  of  state. 
Promise  of        David  now  resolved  to  build  a  worthy  house  for  the 
fiiVkSgdom  God  who  had  given  him  victory  and  rest ;  and  at  first  he 
^7^  received  the  approval  of  Nathan  the  prophet  whom  he 

consulted.  But  afterward  Nathan  was  divinely  commis- 
sioned to  forbid  him.  Jehovah  desired  no  such  house 
from  David — such  was  Nathan's  message;  but,  in  contin- 
uance of  his  past  abounding  kindness  to  him  and  his 
people,  he  would  build  David  a  house,  even  a  dynasty 
that  would  know  no  end.  He  would  hitnself  be  a  father 
to  his  seed,  chastising  their  sin  in  love  ;  but  his  mercy 
would  never  depart  from  them,  and  the  kingdom  would 

*  Syria  in  the  English  Bible  is  Aram  in  Hebrew  (cf.  w.  5,  6)  and 
"  Syriac  "  is  "  Aramaic  "  (cf.  2  K.  18  :  26  R,  V.  marg.).  The  English 
translation  is  misleading,  as  Syria,  in  the  O.  T.,  is  not  used  in  its  modern 
sense,  to  cover  the  region  bounded  by  Mount  Taurus  on  the  north,  the 
Mediterranean  on  the  west,  and  the  desert  on  the  east  and  south,  but 
denotes  a  region  which  includes  the  northern  part  of  Mesopotamia,  and 
borders  upon  Palestine.  (Cf.  Gen.  31  :  44-52.  Laban  was  an  Aramean.) 
In  Israel's  history,  Damascus  usually,  as  here,  plays  the  chief  role  among 
the  Aramean  States. 

2  This  list  is  duplicated  in  20  :  23-26,  where  the  passage  marks  the  end  of 
David's  reign. 

166 


the  Historians  2  Samuel  11:2 


be  established  forever .  Then  David  offered  to  Jehovah 
a  brief  prayer  of  gratitude  for  his  gracious  promise  for 
the  days  to  come,  as  for  the  mighty  redemption  of  days 
gone  by,  for  his  choice  of  Israel,  and  for  the  sure  word 
that  he  would  indeed  bless  and  establish  his  house  for- 
ever. '*  Be  it  indeed  so,''  he  prayed,  "  and  great  be  the 
name  of  Israel's  God  forever." 

Now  that  David's  authority  was  established,  he  longed  David's 
to  show  a  kindness  for  Jonathan's  sake  ^  to  any  surviving  Jonathan's 
member  of  the  house  of  Saul,  and  after  zealous  inquiry,  ^°"  ^9) 
he  found  that  Jonathan's  son,  the  cripple  Meribbaal,  was 
still  alive.     With  kingly  generosity,  he  restored  to  him  the 
whole  of  Saul's  large  estate,  and  gave  him  a  place  at  his 
own  table. 

Once  more  did  David  show  his  kingly  heart,  in  that  he  War  with 
sent  a  message  of  condolence  to  the  bereaved  King  of  kill^™°eaches 
Ammon,  in  grateful  memory  of  his  father's  former  kind-  fegg^JJ^lfo) 
ness.     But  the  ill-advised  king  insulted  David's  messen- 
gers, and  provoked  a  war.    The  Ammonites  summoned  the 
Arameans  to  their  aid ;  but  by  the  strategy  of  Joab  their 
combined  forces  were  routed. 

(b)    The  Trail  0/ David' s  Sin  (2  S.  11  to  1  K.  2) 

On  the  anniversary  of  the  insult,  David  sent  Joab  to  be-  Virtues  of 
siege  the  Ammonite  capital,  but  he  himself  stayed  in  Jeru-  vices^Jf 
salem.     There  he  conceived  a  guilty  passion  for  the  fair  F^^f  and  12) 

1  In  accordance  with  his  vow  in  i  S.  20  :  15-17. 
167 


2  Samuel  11:4  The  Messages  of 

David's        Bathsheba,  wife  of  one  of  his  foreign  soldiers.     To  con- 
?ompSty"in  ceal  his  sin,  he  summoned  her  husband  from  the  siege, 
Txx^Zi  »)    '^^^  twice  this  true  warrior  refused  to  yield  to  the  tempta- 
tion, set  with  so  base  a  cunning.     Not  to  be  foiled,  David 
sent  him  back  to  the  siege  with  a  letter  charging  Joab, 
under  the  semblance  of  doing  him  honor,  to  expose  him 
to   special  peril.     The   cruel   plan  succeeded  and  Uriah 
fell.     Then  David,  with  a  hypocritical  comment  on  the 
chances  of  war,  made  Bathsheba  his  wife,  and  she  bare 
him  a  son. 
The  proph-       But  the  thing  that  David  had  done  displeased  his  God, 
(i?:'^27b  to    who  made  his  voice  heard  through  Nathan  the  prophet. 
12 :  15")       Nathan's  parable  led  the  guilty  king  unwittingly  to  pro- 
nounce upon  himself  the  word  of  doom.     His  conduct,  said 
the  prophet,  had  betrayed  ungrateful  contempt  of  Jehovah, 
and  would  be  punished  in  kind — not  secretly,  as  he  had 
sinned,  but  before  the  eyes  of  all  his  people.     Then  the 
king  confessed  his  sin,  and  the  prophet  declared  that  God 
had  taken  it  away  ;  it  must,  however,  work  death,  though 
not  for  him,  yet  for  the  child. 
The  penalty     Not  all  David's  entreaty  and  penance  could  avert  the 
(12 :  i5«)-25)  jm^gj^gnt.     When  at  last  the  child  died,  he  arose,  with 
brave  resignation,  to  the  surprise  of  his  servants,  and  went 
to  Jehovah's  house  and  worshipped.     In  place  of  the  lost 
child  was  born  to  Bathsheba  another,  even  Solomon,  the 
beloved  of  Jehovah. 

The  siege  of  the  Ammonite  capital  proceeded  amain. 
168 


the  Historians  2  Samuel  14:  it 

At  length  it  fell  before  David,  and  much  spoil,  including  The  defeat 
the  crown  of  the  god,^  was  taken.  David  set  the  inhab-  (12  :'^6^3i) 
itants  to  forced  labor, '^  and  returned  to  Jerusalem. 

Like  father,  like  son.     The  tragedy  of  David's  passion  Tamar's 
repeated   itself  in   Ammon,  who,  aided  by  his  cunning  TJenfed  on 
cousin,  violated  his  half  sister  Tamar— a  folly  unworthy  AbsSom!'^ 
of  an  Israelite — and  then  sent  her  cruelly  away.     David,  J'^i'/';^^" 
though  exceedingly  angry,  was  loth  to  grieve  his  first-born 
son  ^  by  harsh  measures.      Absalom,  however,  Tamar's 
full  brother,  nursed  hopes  of  vengeance  for  two  long  years, 
and  finally,  at  a  sheep-shearing  festival  to  which  he  had 
invited  all  the  king's  sons,  had  Ammon  slain,  to  the  in- 
tense grief  of  David  ;  for  thus  he  lost  not  only  his  first- 
born son,  but  also  his  darling  Absalom,  who  fled  to  his 
royal  grandfather,*  whose  kingdom  lay  to  the  northeast  of 
Israel. 

Joab,  seeing  how  the  king's  heart  was  toward  Absa-  Absalom 
lom,  and  interested  in  his  return  for  reasons  of  his  own,  backhand 
sent  to  the  king  a  wise  woman  of  Tekoa  with  a  feigned  [JeThig  fiS 
tale  of  the  risk  of  death  to  which  her  first-born  son  was 
exposed  by  the  clan  law  of  blood-revenge — a  tale  which 
moved  the  king  to  a  solemn  oath  to  save  her  son  from 
the  avengers.     Why  then — she  went  on  with  a  compli- 

1  The  Hebrew  consonants  for  "  Milcom,"  the  god  of  the  Ammonites,  and 
"their  king,"  are  the  same.  The  weight  of  the  crown  makes  the  former 
interpretation  certain,  supported  as  it  is  by  the  LXX. 

3  Or  less  probably  "  tortured  them." 

»  So  the  LXX  of  v.  21.  -»  Cf.  3  :  3. 

169 


2  Samuel  14  :  13  ^^^^  Messages  of 

ment  to  the  king's  discernment — why  then  will  he  not 
save  his  son  by  recalling  him  from  banishment,  as  Ammon 
is  dead  and  nothing  can  bring  him  back  again?  The 
shrewd  king  rightly  suspected  that  Joab  was  behind  the 
woman's  word  ;  and,  turning  to  him,  he  gave  him  leave 
to  bring  Absalom  back,  which  he  gratefully  did.  But 
Absalom  was  not  suffered  to  see  the  king's  face  for  two 
whole  years,  when  at  last,  by  a  bold  stroke,  he  prevailed 
upon  the  reluctant  Joab  to  intercede  for  him.  The  king 
then  gave  his  son  the  kiss  of  reconciliation. 
Absalom's  By  the  fitfulness  of  his  dealing,  however,  David  had 
Daifd's  ^^^  forfeited  the  confidence  of  Absalom,  who  now  began  to 
flight  (15)  scheme  for  the  throne,  winning  the  people  by  fair  prom- 
ises of  better  and  speedier  justice,  if  he  were  made  king ; 
and  this  went  on  for  four '  years,  until  finally  he  stole  the 
hearts  of  the  men  of  Israel.  Then,  on  a  religious  pretext, 
he  went  to  David's  old  capital,  Hebron,  and  from  there 
fomented  a  conspiracy  throughout  the  whole  country, 
securing  for  it  the  willing  support  of  Ahithophel,  a  coun- 
sellor of  David,  Bathsheba's  grandfather.''  Surprised  by 
the  news,  David  hastened  to  leave  Jerusalem,  followed  by 
a  devoted  band  of  servants  ;  his  foreign  body-guard,  who 
refused  David's  chivalrous  suggestions  to  leave  him,  the 
weeping  populace,  and  the  priests.  But,  bowing  before 
the  will  of  God,  he  sent  back  these  last  with  the  ark  to 

»  In  V.  7,  "  four !  "  for  "  forty,"  by  a  very  easy  change. 
8  Cf.  II :  3  and  23:  34. 

170 


the  Historians  2  Samuel  17  :  24 

the  city,  where  their  services  might  be  useful.  It  was  a 
sad  procession  up  Mount  Olivet — king  and  people  in  tears. 
Hushai,  who  joined  him,  he  entreated  to  go  back  to  the 
city  and  confound  the  counsel  of  the  treacherous  Ahitho- 
phel. 

This  turn  of  affairs  revived  the  slumbering  hopes  of  Benjamite 
Saul's  clan,  and  Meribbaal's  servant  came  to  David  with  a  D^avid  ° 
plausible  story  that  his  master  had  cast  off  his  allegiance  ^^^  •  *'^'^^ 
to  the  king.     Still  more  painfully  obvious  was  the  clan's 
hatred  of  David   in  the  unchivalrous  virulence  of  Shimei, 
which  David  would  not  avenge,  but  bore  in  resignation 
and  hope  ;  for  was  it  not  the  will  of  God  ? 

Then  Absalom  and  his  supporters  went  to  the  capital,  Absalom's 
where  he  was  joined  by  Hushai,  who  pretended  to  see  in  trthethro™ 
the   new  movement   the   hand   of   God.      On   the   sage  ^^^  •  ^5-23) 
Ahithophel's  counsel,  Absalom  took  a  step  which  indi- 
cated his  assumption  of  the  throne  ;  *  and  the  break  was 
now  complete. 

Ahithophel  now  recommended  immediate  pursuit ;  but,  Ahithopel 
in  accordance  with  David's  desire,  Hushai  foiled  his  plan  DaJid 
by  a  counterproposal  which  was  adopted  by  the  infatuat-  tq" J^^  5^^ 
ed  Absalom.     Ahithophel,  foreseeing  the  now  inevitable 
failure  of  Absalom's  cause,  committed  suicide.     David  and 
his  forces,  gaining  time,  crossed  to  the  east  of  the  Jordan, 
followed  by  his  rebel  son  ;  and  there  he  received  valuable 

1  Cf.  3  :  7  and  i  K.  2  :  22.    Thus  was  the  word  of  Nathan  fulfilled  (12  : 
XI,  12). 

171 


2  Samuel  17  :  27 


The  Messages  of 


The  battle  : 
the  death  of 
Absalom 
(18) 


David 
reinstated 
in  popular 
favor 
(19:1-15) 


Tokens  of 
loyalty 
(19 :  16-40) 


and  touching  tokens  of  loyalty  from  eastern  chiefs,  one  of 
them  an  alien. 

David  set  his  troops  in  array  ;  but  they  would  not  allow 
him  to  risk  his  own  person.  In  the  hard  battle  which 
followed,  Absalom  was  routed  and  thousands  fell.  In 
spite  of  David's  strict  charge  to  the  three  commanders  to 
deal  gently  with  his  child,  Joab  slew  him  in  cold  blood, 
and  his  death  ended  the  battle.  The  news  of  victory  was 
swiftly  brought  to  the  expectant  David  by  a  priest's  son 
and  a  negro  ;  only  the  latter  had  the  heart  to  speak  of 
Absalom's  doom,  whereupon  David  burst  out  into  uncon- 
trollable grief. 

For  this  he  was  brusquely  rebuked  by  a  few  plain  words 
from  Joab.  The  reappearance  of  the  king  woke  in  the 
men  of  Israel  the  memory  of  his  old  services,  and  they 
urged  his  recall.  But  David  would  fain  have  his  own  clan 
of  Judah  take  the  first  step  ;  so  they  came  as  one  man  to 
Gilgal  to  meet  him,  led  by  Amasa,  Absalom's  late  com- 
mander, to  whom  David  promised  the  command  of  Joab. 

David's  success  appearing  to  be  now  assured,  Shimei 
with  a  large  body  of  Saul's  clan  speedily  tendered  a  cring- 
ing submission,  which  David  magnanimously  accepted  on 
oath.  Meribbaal,  too,  whose  allegiance  his  servant  had 
slanderously  challenged,  came  to  renew  his  assurance  of 
loyalty.  The  hoary  chief,  Barzillai,  who  had  aided  him 
when  his  fortunes  were  low,*  came,  despite  his  great  age, 

J  17  :  27. 

172 


the  Historians  2  Samuel  20 :  22 

to  conduct  him,  knightly-wise,  over  the  Jordan ;  but  he 
refused  David's  invitation  to  stay  with  him  at  the  capital, 
preferring  to  die  and  be  buried  among  his  own  people. 
With  a  parting  kiss  from  the  king,  Barzillai  returned 
home. 

Scarce  was  the  struggle  ended  when  strife  again  broke  Strife 
out  between  Judah  and  Israel.     Israel,  the  larger  people,  isr^i Tnd 
which  had  spoken  the  first  word  of  recall,  was  jealous  of  ]^^^\^  to 
David's  preference  for  Judah.     So  rebellion  flamed  forth  =°' 3) 
again,  and  again  it  was  headed  by  a  man  of  Saul's  tribe, 
who  led  Israel ;  but  Judah  clave  to  the  king. 

Seeing  that  no  time  must  be  lost,  and  chafing  under  the  The 
delay  of  Amasa,  David  started  Abishai  in  pursuit  of  the  crushed" 
rebels,  in  the  course  of  which  Joab,  chancing  upon  his  rival  ^^°  *  '*'"^ 
Amasa,  treacherously  slew  him  in  cold  blood.     The  pur- 
suit was  kept  up  as  far  as  Abel  in  the  extreme  north,  which 
was  only  saved  from  the  horrors  of  a  siege  by  the  bold 
counsel  of  a  wise  woman,  who  urged  that  the  head  of  the 
chief  rebel  be  thrown  over  the  wall ;  and  with  that  the  re- 
bellion ended.^ 

1  For  the  interesting  and  instructive  interpolation,  chs,  21  to  24,  cf.  p. 
141.    Besides  the  poems  and  lists  it  contains  Two  Tales  0/  Calamity  : 

(i)  All  A  ncient  A  tonentent  or  SauVs  Sm  avenged  on  his  Sons  (21 :  1-14). 
Jehovah,  who  avenges  all  broken  vows,  had  sent  a  famine  upon  the  land,  in 
chastisement — as  the  oracle  said  —for  the  sin  of  Saul  in  seeking  to  extermi- 
nate the  friendly  Gibeonites.  To  turn  away  Jehovah's  wrath,  David  ac- 
ceded to  the  demand  of  the  Gibeonites  that  seven  of  Saul's  sons  should  be 
hanged ;  for  the  sins  of  the  fathers  are  visited  upon  the  children.     Thus 


7  Kings  I :  i  The  Messages  of 

A  palacein-  David  was  now  old  and  weak,  and  Adonijah,  the  heir 
EceSi'on  of  apparent/  supported  by  Joab  and  Abiathar,  old  and  de- 
fa^K."^!)"  voted  servants  of  the  king,  the  princes  all  but  Solomon, 
and  many  of  the  people,'*  seized  his  opportunity  at  a 
sacred  feast  to  lay  his  plans  for  the  succession.  This  gave 
Nathan  and  Bathsheba  the  opening  which  they  wanted  to 
scheme  for  Solomon.  With  much  skill  they  insinuated 
that  Adonijah  could  not  have  gone  so  far  without  David's 
own  consent,  and  that  this  consent  was  a  violation  of  his 

Jehovah  was  propitiated.  Touched  by  the  heroism  of  Rizpah's  love,  David 
united  the  family  in  death  by  burying  together  the  bones  of  father  and  sons 
in  the  family  grave. 

(2)  Pride  and  Penitence  or  David's  Census  and  its  Results  (24).  Once 
more  Jehovah  was  angry ;  for  David,  in  his  pride,  had  had  a  census  taken 
of  his  people.  The  proposal  had  offended  even  the  feeling  of  Joab,  and 
David  must  be  made  to  learn  that  all  power  is  of  God.  No  sooner  was  the 
census  over  than  the  pestilence  fell.  Then  David's  heart  smote  him;  he 
saw  (as  in  21 :  i,  where  the  famine  led  him  to  feel  that  there  was  wrong  some- 
where) and  confessed  his  sin,  praying  that  it  might  fall  upon  himself  and  not 
upon  his  innocent  people.  So  the  pestilence  was  stayed,  ere  it  touched 
Jerusalem;  and  on  the  alien  ground,  where  Jehovah's  grace  had  been  mani- 
fested, David  raised  an  altar,  and  offered  a  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving — a 
sacrifice  which  cost.  (This  difficult  chapter  needs  some  rearrangement ; 
V.  17,  e.g.,  is  clearly  out  of  place.     Possibly,  too,  10-14  is  a  later  section.) 

Between  these  narratives  stand  the  psalms  (i),  a  triumphant  song  of  grati- 
tude for  all  God's  gracious  deliverances  (ch.  22=Ps.  18).  (2)  A  last  song 
whose  theme  is  that  "  the  throne  which  by  the  grace  of  God,  he  had  held  with 
justice,  would  endure  for  ever,  while  the  wicked  would  perish''  (23:  1-7). 
This  psalm  is  followed  by  a  list :  Thirty  mighty  men  had  David,  three  ex- 
ceeding brave,  who  risked  their  lives  for  the  king  they  loved,  though  he 
nobly  refused  a  gift  that  cost  so  dear  and  offered  it  to  God  (23  :  8-39). 

1  Cf.  2  S.  3  :  4.     Chileab  appears  to  have  died.  ^  2  :  15. 


the  Historians  7  Kings  2  :  9 

solemn  promise  to  Bathsheba,*  that  Solomon  would  be  his 
successor.  Indignant  at  Adonijah's  seeming  intrigue, 
David,  with  a  solemn  oath,  took  steps  that  very  day  to 
have  Solomon  proclaimed  king  amid  the  acclamations  of 
the  people,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  Zadok  and  Benaiah, 
the  rivals  of  Abiathar  and  Joab,  and  of  the  foreign  body- 
guard. The  sounds  of  jubilation  startled  Adonijah  and 
his  guests  ;  still  more,  the  news  that  Solomon  was  king, 
and  the  company  dispersed.  Adonijah  fled  for  his  life  to 
the  protection  of  the  altar.  Solomon  released  him  with 
an  ambiguous  promise  and  banished  him  from  the  court. 

As  David's  end  drew  near,  he  charged  Solomon  /^  i"^^/ David's  last 
the  commandments  of  Jehovah  as  written  m  the  law  ^u^^W^\ 
of  Moses,  for  on  that  his  throne  depended:  and  further 
to  take  vengeance  on  Joab  for  the  blood  of  Abner  and 
Amasa,  to  show  kindness  to  the  children  of  Barzillai  who 
came  to  his  aid  in  dark  days,  and  to  take  vengeance  on 
Shimei,  who  in  those  same  days  had  cursed  him.^     David 

*  A  promise  unrecorded,  if  indeed  ever  given. 

2  Many  critics  regard  this  whole  section  as  unhistorical,  and  due  to  the 
Deuteronomic  redactor,  whose  design,  it  is  argued,  was  to  remove  the 
odium  of  these  murders  from  Solomon,  the  builder  of  the  temple.  But  con- 
sidering the  reverence  of  later  ages  for  David,  this  would  have  been  a  dear 
price  to  pay  for  the  reputation  of  Solomon.  The  reference  to  Barzillai  is 
almost  too  natural  to  be  invented  ;  Solomon  had  no  known  motive  of  his 
own  for  removing  Shimei ;  and  vengeance  on  Joab  may  well  have  been 
with  David  a  matter  of  conscience,  as  Abner  had  been  David's  guest,  and 
Amasa  was  his  nephew,  being  the  son  of  Abigail,  David's  sister  (28.  17  :  25 
and  19:  13).     (Kittel.) 


7  Kings  2  :  lo  The  Messages  of 

died  after  a  reign  of   forty  years,   atid  the  kingdom  of 
Solomon  his  soft  and  successor  was  stro7igly  established. 
Solomon  re-      Soon  all  obstacles  were  removed  from  Solomon's  way; 
Siemfes.'^     and  first  Adonijah,  who  had  unwisely  asked  for  the  hand 
(2^M^-T?^^  of  Abishag,  a  concubine  of  Solomon's  by  right  of  suc- 
cession.    Unwisely  :  for  such  a  petition  seemed  a  bid  for 
the  throne.     With  this  pretext  Solomon  had  him  put  to 
death, 
(b)  Abiathar     Next  to  suffer  were  Adonijah's  chief  supporters  :  the 
oTf  ie-slr^  priest  Abiathar  who  was  deposed,  thus  fulfilling  the  word 
touching  the  house  of  Eli  ;  ^  and  then  Joab,  who,  terrified 
by  the  fate  of  Adonijah  and  his  supporters,  fled  for  his 
life  to  the  protection  of  the  altar,  and  there,  despite  its 
sanctity,   atoned,  by  a  ruthless  death,   for  the  innocent 
blood  that  he  had  shed,  and  so  released  the  royal  house 
from  bloodguiltiness.     Then  Joab  and  Abiathar  were  re- 
placed by  their  rivals, 
(d)  Shimei        Solomon   also   took    advantage  of  a  broken  vow  of 
(2  .  3  -45)     Shimei  to  put  him  to  death  for  his  enmity  to  David.     All 
the  obstacles  being  thus  removed,  the  kingdom  was  estab- 
lished in  the  hands  of  Solomon. 

.  *  I  S.  2  :  31-36. 


176 


the  Historians  Kings 


IX 

THE   SOURCES   AND   CHARACTER   OF   THE   BOOKS 
OF    KINGS 

We  have  already  seen  how  powerfully  the  Deutero- 
nomic  redaction  controlled  the  presentation  of  the  history 
in  the  Books  of  Kings/  Besides  contributing  the  general 
conception  of  the  history,  which  is  implicit  in  the  criticisms 
of  the  various  kings,  it  also  determines  the  formula  which 
opens  and  closes  the  story  of  each  reign.  Typical  of  the 
treatment  of  the  kings  of  Judah  is  2  Kings  15:1,2:  In 
the  twenty  and  seventh  year  of  Jeroboam  king  of  Israel 
began  Azariah  son  of  Afnaziah  king  of  Judah  to  reign. 
Sixteen  years  old  was  he  when  he  begafi  to  re/gn  ;  a?id 
he  reigned  two  and  fifty  years  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  his 
mother  s  Jianie  was  Jecoliah  of  Jerusalem  ;  with  the  con- 
clusion (vv.  6,  7) :  Now  the  rest  of  the  acts  of  Azariah 
and  all  that  he  did,  are  they  not  written  in  the  book  of  the 
chronicles  of  the  kings  of  Judah  ?  And  Azariah  slept 
with  his  fathers  ;  and  they  buried  hi?n  with  his  fathers 
in  the  city  of  David :  and  Jonathan  his  son  reig?ied  in 
his  stead."^  Typical  of  the  treatment  of  the  kings  of 
Israel  is  i  Kings  16  :  29  :    I?t  the  thirty  and  eighth  year 

1  Cf.  pp.  95-97- 

2  These  formulae,  as  they  are  of  regular  occurrence,  are  omitted  in  the 
paraphrase. 

177 


Kings  The  Messages  of 

of  Asa  kmg  of  fudaJi  began  AJiab  the  son  of  Omri  to 
reign  over  Israel ;  and  Ahab  the  so?i  of  Omri  reigned  over 
Israel  in  Samaria  twenty  and  two  years,  with  a  conclusion 
similar  to  that  above,  only  containing  more  historical  fact 
or  suggestion  (22  :  39,  40),  It  is  not  without  interest  and 
significance  that  there  is  usually  more  elaboration  in  con- 
nection with  the  formulae  for  the  kings  of  Judah  than  Israel, 
the  mother's  name,  for  example,  being  added. 
The  sources.  What  are  the  sources  on  which  the  redactor  set  to 
work  ?  Three  are  expressly  mentioned  :  the  book  of  the 
acts  of  Solomon  (i  K.  11  :  41),  the  book  of  the  chronicles 
of  the  kings  of  Israel,  and  the  book  of  the  chronicles  of 
the  kings  of  Judah.  The  nature  of  the  book  of  the  acts 
of  Solomon,  which  we  are  capable  of  inferring  from  the 
contents  of  the  section  i  Kings  3  to  11,  makes  it  improb- 
able that  these  other  books  were  annals  :  more  likely  they 
were  themselves  finished  histories.  Doubtless,  however, 
they  rest  in  many  cases  upon  original  documents;  the 
lists  of  officials  suggest  as  much  :  and  though,  considering 
the  revolutionary  nature  of  the  history  of  the  northern 
kingdom,  anything  like  continuity  in  court  annals  is  ex- 
tremely improbable,  there  must  have  been,  for  some  pe- 
riods at  least,  official  documents  which  might  well  form 
the  basis  of  later  historical  work. 
Prophetic  ^ut  to  be  more  explicit.  After  deducting  from  the  books 
biographies.  ^\  ^^  notices  that  may  have  been  taken  from  such  doc- 
uments, together  with  the  redactional  elements,  there  are, 

178 


the  Historians  Kings 

besides  the  long  section  on  Solomon,  narratives  varying 
in  length,  which  look  as  if  they  might  be  fragments  of 
biography,  for  example,  the  story  of  Jeroboam  I.  or  Jehu, 
though  in  most  of  these  fragments,  and  particularly  in  the 
longer  of  them,  the  interest  is  chiefly  centred  on  prophets. 
Such  is  the  section  dealing  with  Hezekiah  (2  K.  18  to  20) 
in  which  the  prophet  Isaiah  gathers  about  him  more  inter- 
est than  the  king  ;  and  especially  such  is  the  long  and  not 
quite  uninterrupted  section  (i  K.  17  to  2  K.  8)  which 
glorifies  the  deeds  of  Elijah  and  Elisha.  Kings  appear  in 
those  sections,  but  largely  as  a  foil  to  the  grandeur  of  the 
prophets.  The  nature  of  these  sections  leads  to  the  belief 
that  there  were  lives  of  the  prophets,  written  doubtless 
by  members  of  the  prophetic  guilds,  at  the  disposal  of  the 
editors  of  our  book  of  kings,  or  even  of  the  writers  of  the 
history  that  lies  behind  it. 

From  the  numerous  references  to  the  temple  and  the  Was  there  a 
copious  detail  with  which  certain  temple  incidents  are  dis-  hl^ory? 
cussed,  it  has  been  inferred  that  there  was  also  a  temple 
history.  The  inference,  however,  is  precarious.  Such  a 
statement  as  that  laymen  were  more  faithful  with  the  tem- 
ple money  than  the  priests,'  hardly  looks  as  if  it  was  taken 
from  such  a  source.  Nor  is  it  probable  that  the  story  of 
the  creation  of  Ahaz's  new  altar  on  the  model  of  the  altar 
which  he  had  seen  at  Damascus,  would  have  been  re- 
corded in  such  a  source  without  protest. 

^  2  K.  12  :  1-16. 
179 


Kings  The  Messages  of 

The  compos-  Evcn  the  story  of  Solomon  which,  as  we  have  seen.con- 
sSJ^^oF^oi-  stituted  a  section  by  itself  and  probably  contains  some  orig- 
omon.  jj^^i  documents,  is  not  all  of  a  piece  and  contains  elements 

of  varying  historical  value.  Side  by  side  with  stories — 
which  may  well  be  old — like  that  of  Solomon's  famous 
decision  in  the  dispute  between  the  two  women,  are  others 
of  a  more  romantic  sort,  which  on  the  face  of  them  must 
be  much  later  than  the  times  of  which  they  tell.  "  There 
came  no  more,"  we  are  told,  "  such  abundance  of  spices 
as  these  which  the  Queen  of  Sheba  gave  to  King  Solo- 
mon."^ Clearly  the  age  of  Solomon  lies  in  the  not  very 
recent  past.  It  is  looked  at  with  generous  eyes,  eyes  which 
grow  more  generous  as  the  age  recedes.  For  "  silver," 
it  is  said,  "  was  nothing  accounted  of  in  the  days  of  Solo- 
mon ;  "  ^  although  that  statement,  with  the  statement  of 
his  enormous  revenue,^  is  not  easy  to  reconcile  with  his 
loan  from  Hiram."  The  later  tendency  to  glorify  the 
monarch  is  seen,  too,  in  the  contrast  between  the  early 
statement  in  5:13  that  he  "  raised  a  levy  out  of  all  Israel,' 
with  the  later  statement  that  the  levy  was  raised  from  the 
older  inhabitants  of  the  land,  and  not  from  the  children 
of  Israel  (9  :  20-22),  though  the  earlier  statement,  in  itself 
so  probable,  is  corroborated  by  Rehoboam's  own  admis- 
sion of  the  severity  of  his  father's  policy  (12  :  11,  cf.  4) 
and  by  the  valuable  hint  in  1 1  :  28  that  Jeroboam  was  in 
charge  of  the  work  done  by  the  house  of  Joseph— an  office 
1  10 :  10.  2  10  :  21.  3  10  :  14.  *  9  :  14. 

180 


the  Historians  Kings 

which  gave  him  his  opportunity  to  strike  out  for  himself. 
Enough  has  been  said  to  suggest  that  even  the  original 
sources  from  which  our  present  book  drew,  were  them- 
selves already  composite. 

That  being  so,  the  presence  of  repetitions,  duplicates,  and  Repetitions, 
contradictions  need  not  surprise  us.  Some  of  these  phe-  and  cont^ra- 
nomena  are  due,  of  course,  to  the  elements  contributed  by  '^i'^''""^- 
the  redactors,  and  to  still  later  additions.  We  are  twice 
told  that  Rehoboam's  mother  was  Naamah,^  twice  that 
there  was  war  between  Rehoboam  and  Jeroboam,^  and 
between  Asa  and  Baasha  all  their  days,^  and  twice  of  the 
composition  of  Jeroboam's  priesthood.*  Again,  while  the 
older  source  frankly  speaks  of  the  war  between  Jeroboam 
and  Rehoboam,^  the  later  version  so  far  idealizes  the  situa- 
tion as  to  represent  Judah  as  withdrawing  without  a  battle, 
at  the  instance  of  the  prophetic  word.®  In  2  Kings  17,  the 
annexing  of  the  third  attempt  to  philosophize  on  the  fall 
of  Samaria,  to  account  for  the  rise  and  progress  of  the 
Samaritan  cult,  has  led  to  serious  confusion,  and  to  appar- 
ent, though  only  apparent,  contradictions.''  The  most 
famous  duplicate  occurs  in  the  story  of  the  peril  of  Jeru- 
salem from  the  Assyrians  in  the  time  of  Hezekiah,  where 
18:  13  to  19:  8  is  a  parallel  to  19:  9-37,  even  the  latter 

*  I  K.  14  :  21,  31.  2  14  ;  20  and  15 :  6.  ^  15  :  16,  32. 

*i2:  31  and  13 :  33.  ^  14 :  30.  •12:  21-24. 

"*  In  V.  33  they,  i.e.,  the  colonists,  feared  Jehovah.     In  34^  they,  i.e.,  Is- 
rael (=  Samaria),  fear  not  Jehovah. 

181 


Kings  The  Messages  of 

version  itself,  however,  being  clearly  composite/      Two 
versions  also  underlie  the  story  of  the  revolution  inaugu- 
rated by  Jehoiada  (2  K.  11),  one  of  a  secular,  the  other  of 
a  more  religious,  nature. 
The  later  The  earliest  Hebrew  historians,  the  Jehovist,  and  the 

the"iess^  ^""^Elohist,  carcd  more,  as  we  have  seen,  for  idea  than  fact. 
historical,  yj^jg  tendency  grew,  and  was  exaggerated  in  later  times 
into  a  positive  indifference  to  fact.  The  more  romantic  or 
improbable  a  narrative  may  seem,  the  more  should  we  feel 
sure  that  the  narrator  is  not  appearing  before  us  in  the 
role  of  historian,  but  is  amplifying  and  adapting  a  tale, 
which  very  likely  has  some  historical  kernel,  to  express 
some  great  idea.  We  have  not  disposed  of  his  story  fairly 
until  we  have  grasped  the  idea  which  that  story  is  a  strange 
effort  to  embody.  Outside  of  the  Book  of  Chronicles,  the 
classic  illustration  of  that  attitude  is  i  Kings  13.  The 
theme  was  an  attractive  one — indeed  in  one  sense  it  is  the 
theme  of  the  Deuteronomist — the  sin  and  doom  of  Jero- 
boam. To  one  who  looks  for  history,  the  chapter  presents 
a  fair  accumulation  of  surprises.  There  is  an  unparalleled 
instance  of  predictive  prophecy — Josiah  is  foretold  by  name 
three  centuries  before  he  appears  (v.  2) ;  the  details  are 
remarkably  definite  (v.  2)  and  are  fulfilled  to  the  letter 
(2  K.  23 :  20)  ;  the  sign  is  a  strange  one  (v.  3),  only  less 
strange  than  the  immediate  withering  of  the  rebellious 
hand,  and  its  immediate  restoration  on  the  prophet's  prayer 

1  These  two  passages  are  referred  by  some  to  diflferent  campaigns. 
182 


the  Historians 


Kings 


(v.  4)  ;  the  morality  of  the  "  old  prophet,"  whose  revela- 
tion is  attributed  to  an  angel,  is  more  than  questionable  ; 
the  picture  of  the  lion,  the  ass,  and  the  dead  prophet  is,  to 
say  the  least,  improbable.  It  is  not  without  significance 
that  the  man  of  God,  whose  message  and  doom  are  thus 
strangely  told,  is  anonymous.  But  what  makes  it  abso- 
lutely certain,  if  these  considerations  were  not  enough,  that 
the  chapter  is  late — it  is  probably  very  late — is  the  anach- 
ronism of  13  :  32,  where  the  "  cities  of  Samaria  "  are  ex- 
plicitly mentioned,  though  Samaria  itself  is  said  not  to  have 
been  built  until  at  least  half  a  century  after  (16  :  24)  ;  and 
further,  such  a  reference  to  the  cities  of  Samaria  implies 
that  Samaria  is  a  province,  as  it  was  not  till  after  the  exile. 
Historically  this  chapter  can  have  little  worth.  Neverthe- 
less it  is  the  partly  harsh,  partly  romantic  embodiment  of 
great  ideas,  such  as  that  God's  word  is  immutable  and 
that  his  commands  must  be  uncompromisingly  obeyed. 

A  very  similar  spirit  has  been  at  work  on  chapter  20  of 
the  same  book  where  there  is  another  anonymous  prophet 
(v.  35),  and  another  lion  scene  (v.  36).  With  these  facts 
go  numbers  suspiciously  high  ;  for  example,  100,000  Ara- 
means  are  slain  (v.  29),  very  unlike  Israel's  army  of  7,000 
in  the  older  story  (v.  15) ;  and  what  kind  of  wall  could  it 
be  that  fell  upon  27,000  men  (v.  30)  ?  But  the  moral  of  the 
story  is  not  unlike  the  last,  that  disobedience  to  the  word 
of  God  means  death.  That  is  the  truth  that  gleams 
through  the  harsh  and  improbable  setting. 

183 


Kings  The  Messages  of 

The  reiig-  The  thoroughness  of  the  redaction  has  deprived  the  book 
cance^of  the  — with  the  exception  of  the  Elijah  and  Elisha  sections  which 
book.  \\7Q_xQ,  but  little  affected  by  it — of  that  quaint  picturesque- 

ness  which  is  one  of  the  many  charms  of  the  Hexateuchal 
narrative.  Still  there  are  scenes  of  great  religious  interest 
and  power — notably  perhaps  that  of  the  council  of  the  host 
of  heaven  sitting  round  about  Jehovah  on  his  right  hand 
and  on  his  left.^  The  history  covered  by  the  books  is  a 
large  contribution  to  the  divine  purpose,  that  purpose  which 
works  itself  out,  though  a  king  disguise  himself  on  the 
battle-field  to  escape  it,^  and  though  another  king  "  shed 
innocent  blood  very  much."  ^  From  the  human  stand- 
point, the  history  of  the  monarchy  had  been  an  almost 
unbroken  tragedy ;  from  the  brilliant  promise  of  David's 
reign  to  that  dark  day — followed  by  days  darker  still — when 
Israel's  hopes  lay  shattered  on  the  field  of  Megiddo,  First 
the  northern  kingdom,  then  the  southern,  plunged  through 
disobedience  into  exile  and  sorrow — one  never  to  emerge 
again.  But  the  work  of  the  other  was  not  yet  done.  In 
the  purpose  of  God  she  had  yet  much  to  learn  and  much 
to  teach.  Out  of  the  exile  he  delivered  the  people  to  ful- 
fil their  destiny,  as  once  he  had  delivered  the  holy  city 
itself  from  Assyrian  menace  and  assault.  Thus  in  a  very 
deep  sense  were  fulfilled  the  brave  words  of  Isaiah  :  "  The 
remnant  that  is  escaped  out  of  the  house  of  Judah  shall 
again  take  root  downward  and  bear  fruit  upward.  For 
*  I  K.  23  :  19-23.  3  I  K.  22  :  30,  34.  ^  2  K.  21 :  16. 

184 


the  Historians  i  Kings  3  :  28 

out  of  Jerusalem  shall  go  forth  a  remnant,  and  out  of 
mount  Zion  they  that  shall  escape :  the  zeal  of  Jehovah 
shall  perform  this." ' 


THE    REIGN    OF    SOLOMON    (l   K.  3  tO  II) 

I.  His  Wisdoin  and  his  Kingdo77t  (3  and  4) 

Solomon  loved  Jehovah  ;  only  he  worshipped  him  upon  the  Solomon's 
high  places,  as  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  was  not  yet  built.^  (sT^is) 
On  one  of  those  places  of  worship,  named  Gibeon,  Solo- 
mon was  visited  by  Jehovah  in  a  dream ;  and  on  the  thresh- 
old of  his  royal  duties,  he  humbly  besought  him — not  in- 
deed for  riches  or  long  life  or  victory — but  for  wisdom  and 
insight  touching  all  matters  which  fell  to  him  to  judge. 
Jehovah  heard  and  answered  his  wise  prayer,  and  gave 
him,  besides  riches  and  honor,  length  of  days  for  which  he 
had  not  asked.      Then  he  offered  sacrifice  in  Jerusalem. 

That  Solomon  won  from  Jehovah  the  wisdom  for  which  Ills  judicial 
he  prayed  was  manifest  to  all  in  the  skill  with  which  he  J^'fi6™8) 
decided  the  case  of  the  two  women  who  contended  for  the 
living  child. 

Solomon's  kingdom  was  highly  organized.     Each  de- 

1  2  K.  19  :  30,  31. 

2  The  standard  and  small  italics  represent  the  earlier  and  later  redactions 
respectively.     Cf.  pp.  96,  97. 

18S 


I  Kings  4:1  The  Messages  of 

Organiza-     partment  had  its  own  presiding  officer,  the  priest  coming 
kingdom'     immediately  after  the  king.    The  country  was  divided  into 
{4 : 1-28)       twelve  districts— not  the  old  tribal  districts— over  each  of 
which  an  officer  was  appointed,  charged  with  the  duty  of 
catering  during  one  month  each  year  for  the  king's  luxu- 
rious table.     The  kingdom  was  populous  and  prosperous, 
extending  from  the  Mediterranean  to  the  Euphrates. 
His  wisdom,      Solomon  s  wzsdom  exceeded  that  of  the  astrologers  afid 
and^song's     magicians  of  the  east,  and  won  him  universal  renown. 
(4: 29-34)      ]^g  ^^s  ^i^Q  ifig  author  of  numerous  songs  and  proverbs, 
that  made  mention  of  all  sorts  of  plants  and  animals. 

2.  Solomon's  Buildings  (i  K.  5  to  9) 

Preparations  Hiram,  king  of  Tyre,  who  had  been  friendly  to  David, 
[rand  q'^!"!  sent  his  congratulations  to  the  new  king  of  Israel,  and  Sol- 
'*^  omon  seized  this  opportunity  to  make  arrangements  with 

him  for  the  preparation  of  the  temple  which  he  contem- 
plated building  in  accordance  with  the  word  of  Jehovah 
to  his  father  ;  for  there  were  great  timber  forests  in  Leb- 
anon, and  Hiram's  subjects  had  exceptional  skill  in  work- 
ing wood.  In  return,  Solomon  furnished  Hiram  with 
compensation  for  their  services,  and  a  treaty  was  con- 
cluded. For  a  subsequent  grant  of  money,  Solomon 
ceded  Hiram  twenty  cities  in  Galilee.  To  prosecute  the 
work,  Solomon  raised  from  among  his  people  an  enor- 
mous levy  which  worked  one  month  and  rested  two. 
The  laying  of  the  foundation  of  the  temple  in  the  fourth 
186 


the  Historians  i  Kings  7:51 

year  of  Solomon's  reign — it  took  seven  years  to  build —  Foundation 
marked  a  new  epoch  in  the  history  of  Israel.  t*emDL 

The  temple  had  a  porch  in  front  and  three  stories  of  (6  :  i,  37,  ss) 
rooms  built  round  about  the  wall  on  three  sides.     Within  Description 
the  temple,  at  the  back,  was  the  oracle,  or  holy  of  holies,  °empie 
whose  walls  were  overlaid  with  gold — half  the  length  of  the  ^^  '  ^"^^^ 
temple  proper,  and  separated  from  it  by  a  wall.     In  front 
of  the  oracle  was  the  cedar  altar,  overlaid  with  gold,  on 
which  stood  the  shew  bread ;  and  within,  two  cherubs, 
overlaid  with  gold,  with  outstretched  wings,  to  guard  the 
sanctuary.     There,  too,  was  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  Je- 
hovah,    The  door  of  the  oracle  and  the  posts  of  the  tem- 
ple door  were  richly  carved  and  overlaid  with  gold ;  and  a 
wall  ran  round  the  inner  court. 

The  vessels  of  the  temple  were  skilfully  designed  by  the  The  temple 
son  of  a  famous  Tyrian  artist  in  metal.  Among  them  were  Vy^x)  ^^  ' 
the  two  bronze  pillars  with  ornamented  capitals — sym- 
bols of  Jehovah's  might — that  stood  near  by  the  entrance 
to  the  temple  porch ' ;  further  a  sea  of  bronze  supported 
by  twelve  bronze  oxen  ;  ten  lavers  of  brass  resting  on 
bases  ornamented  with  figures  of  animals  and  running  on 
wheels  ;  also  pots,  and  shovels,  and  basins  all  of  bronze. 
Divers  gold  utensils  also  there  were,  the  altar  (of  incense)  and 
many  others ;  and  Solomon  put  the  gifts  that  David  had 
dedicated  among  the  treasures  of  the  temple. 

^  The  indispensable  notice  of  the  bronze  altar  must  once  have  stood  here 
(between  vv.  22  and  23).  Cf .  2  Chr.  4:1.  It  is  presupposed  in  8  :  22,  64  and 
9:  25. 

187 


1  Kings  8  :  i  The  Messages  of 

The  ark  Then  Solomon,  accompanied  by  the  chiefs  of  the  people, 

thrtfraple    brought  up  the  ark,  ivhich  contained  7iothing  but  the  two 
^8 :  i-ii)       tables  of  stone,  from  Zion  to  the  temple,  and  with  the  sacri- 
fice of  numberless  cattle,  the  priests  set  it  in  the  oracle. 
Straightway  the  place  was  filled  with  the  cloud  of  Jeho- 
vah's glor>'.^ 
Words  of  Then  with  these  words — preserved  in  the  Book  of  the 

t^T^Ti)    Brave  ^—Solomon  dedicated  the  temple  : 

The  sun  hath  Jehovah  set  in  the  heavens, 
He  himself  hath  determined  to  dwell  in  the  darkness. 
And  so  I  have  built  thee  an  house  to  dwell  in, 
Even  a  place  to  abide  in  for  ever  and  ever. 

The  prayer  The  pcoplc  stood  to  Tcceivc  Solomon's  blessing,  and  he 
(8  fit-Tsf "  offered  the  prayer  of  dedication.  *'  Blessed  be  fehovah, 
the  God  of  Israel,  who  hath  chosen  ferusalem  for  his 
habitation,  and  hath  fulfilled  this  day  his  promise  to 
David  that  his  son  would  build  him  an  house."  ^  May  the 
faithful  fehovah  further  fulfil  his  promise  by  continuing 
for  evermore  the  dynasty  of  David  / 

Hearken,  O  thou  that  dwellest  in  heaven,  unto  the 
prayers  that  thy  servant  and  thy  people  may  direct  tow- 
ards this  place  ;  and  when  thou  hear  est,  forgive. 

When  a  curse  is  pronounced  upon  the  transgressor ; 
when  the  people  are  S7)titten  in  battle  for  their  sins  ;  when 
for  their  sin  the  thirsty  lafid  withereth  ;  when  any  evil 

1  Cf.  Ex.  33  :  9  (E). 

'  By  a  very  probable  emendation,  based  upon  the  LXX.        ^  j  S.  7. 

188 


the  Historians  i  Kings  9  :  9 

of  whatsoever  kind  befall :  hear  thou  in  heaven  when  they 
cry  in  penitence  to  thee — they,  or  the  stra?tgers,  who,  won 
by  the  story  of  thy  might,  will  come  to  worship  thee,  the 
God  of  the  whole  earth — and  when  thou  hear  est,  forgive. 
Should  thy  people  be  carried  into  exile,  and  there  they  with  confession 
turn  unto  thee  with  all  their  heart,  and  pray  toward  this  city  and 
house  of  thine,  graciously  grant  that  their  enemies  take  pity  upon 
them :  for  they  are  thine  own  people,  the  people  of  thine 
ancient  choice. 

Then  Solomon  blessed  the  people,  entreating  the  God  The  royal 
who  had  faithfully  kept  his  ancient  promise,  to  be  with  ^^^^H)^  ^^  ' 
them  as  he  had  been  with  the  fathers,  incli?iing  their 
hearts  to  walk  in  his  ways,  and  maintaining  their  cause, 
that  all  the  world  might  know  that  Israels  God  is  the 
only  God. 

After  this  prayer,  he  offered  a  sacrifice  to  Jehovah  ;  and  The  conclu- 
so  many  were  the  animals  that  they  had  to  be  offered  in  dediciion 
the  middle  of  the  temple  court,  which  was  specially  con-  ''fV^'^^ll^ 
secrated  thereto.      Then  all  the  people  throughout  the 
length  of  the  la?id  celebrated  the  harvest  festival  for  seven 
days,  and  on  the  eighth  the  king  sent  the  people  to  their 
homes  with  hearts  touched  to  gladness  by  their  Gods 
goodness  to  them  and  to  the  throne. 

When  all  was  finished,  Jehovah  again  appeared  to  Solomon,  pledg-  The  shadow 
ing  himself  to  maintain  both  temple   and  dynasty  for  ever.     But  °.^  destruc- 
should  the  people,  in  forgetfulness  of  his  ancient  grace,  turn  from 
him  to  the  worship  of  other  gods,  he  would  make  them  a  byword, 
and  the  temple  a  heap  of  ruins. 

189 


I  Kings  7 :  i  The  Messages  of 

The  palace       The  royal  palace,  which  took  thirteen  years  to  build,  was 

\i '  i-i2>       constructed  as  follows  :  First  there  was  the  house  of  the 

forest  of  Lebanon,  so  called  from  the  three  rows  of  cedar 

pillars,  fifteen  in  a  row,  with  chambers  built  above.  Next 

to  it  came  a  porch  of  pillars  (where  petitioners  might  wait 

for  audience),  and  next  to  that  the  porch  of  the  throne 

where  the  king  pronounced  judgment.     Then  came  the 

palace  proper  with  an  adjoining   palace   for   Pharaoh's 

daughter — all  built  of  large  finely  hewn  stone,  and  a  wall 

ran  round  the  palace  court. 

Fortifica-  Solomon  fortified  Jerusalem  and  other  strategic  points 

trade  tq:       over  the  country  by  impressing  foreign  labor,  and  with  the 

lo,  15, 18-28)  assistance  of  Hiram  and  his  Tyrian  sailors  he  built  a  navy 

which  carried  on  a  rich  trade  with  distant  lands. 

Three  times  a  year  did  Solomon  offer  sacrifice  (9  :  25). 
Solomon's  He  married  an  Egyptian  princess,  who  received  as  her 
PharS's*°  dowry  the  Canaanite  city  of  Gezer  which  had  been  seized 

?^"f\nd      ^y  '^^^  father. 
9:16, 17) 

3.  Solomo7i's  Glory  and  Decline  (i  K.  10  and  11) 

Visit  of  the       Solomon's  Wealth  and  wisdom  are  strikingly  illustrated 

Sheba°io:    by  the  impression  they  made  on  the  Arabian  queen,  whom 

^•^3>  the  king's  fame  attracted  all  the  way  from  her  distant 

home.     Besides  the  costly  presents  of  the  queen,  lavishly 

reciprocated  by  Solomon,  other  precious  products  were 

brought  to  the  country  by  Solotnons  fieet. 

He  had  an  enormous  revenue  in  gold,  not  to  speak  of 
190 


the  Historians  i  Kings  11:43 

taxes  and  tribute.     Shields  of  gold,  too,  he  had,  and  a  Solomon's 
gorgeous  ivory  throne,  and  vessels  all  of  gold,  brought  ^4.29)  ^'° ' 
from  afar  by  his  ships.     He  exceeded  all  the  kings  of  the 
earth  in  riches  and  'wisdo7n,  and  far-off  peoples  brought 
him  presents.^     With  northern  Syria'  he  had  also  a  great 
trade  in  war-horses. 

He  had  foreign  wives  exceeding  many,  who  turfied  Solomon's 
away  his  heart  to  the  worship  of  their  gods.      The  re-  ZY^)^  ^" " 
fee  ted  Jehovah  therefore  detertnined  to  rend  his  king- 
dom, and  leave  him  with  but  one  tribe. 

The  punishment  fell  in  the  shape  of  revolt  against  his  Revolt  of 
authority.     First  Edom,'  which  had  been  won  by  David,  i?a°m  (Til 
asserted  her  independence.     Damascus  also  revolted  un-  ^'^"^5) 
der  the  energetic  freebooter  Rezon. 

Finally,  Jeroboam,  whom  Solomon  had  appointed  over-  Rebellion  of 
seer  of  the  forced  labor  of  the  house  of  Joseph  in  connec-deSh^oT' 
tion  with  the  fortification  of  the  capital,  seized  the  occa-  \f^^^<^ 
sion,  instigated  by  a  prophet,  to  fortify  his  own  city,*  and  40-43) 
revolt  against  the  king.     To  escape  the  royal  vengeance, 
he  fled  to  Egypt,  where  he  remained  till  the  death  of  the 
king,  who  died  after  a  reign  of  forty  years  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son  Rehoboatn. 

1  Suggesting  thoughts  of  the  Messianic  king. 

'  This  seems  more  probable  than  the  translation  "  Egypt." 

•  Perhaps  supported  by  her  neighbor  Midian  (cf.  v.  i8). 

*  So  some  MSB.  of  the  LXX. 


191 


I  Kings  12:1  The  Messages  of 


XI 

HISTORY  OF  THE  MONARCHY  TO  THE  FALL  OF  THE 
NORTHERN  KINGDOM  (l  K.  12  tO  2  K.  I7) 

I.  Jeroboam  I.  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  12  :  i  to  14  :  20), 
937-915  B.C. 

Jeroboam's  Then  Jeroboam  returned  from  Egypt  in  the  hope  of 
r^2^'^"ii'^'  seizing  the  crown.  On  the  way  to  Shechem,  whither  he 
29-39)  had  summoned  all  the  people,  a  prophet  met  him '  and 

announced  that  for  the  apostasy  of  the  people,  Solomons 
kingdom  would  be  rent,  and  that  far  the  larger  share 
would  fall  to  Jeroboatn  himself— all  but  one  tribe  with 
the  chosen  city  Jerusalem,  which  would  still  be  governed 
by  the  dynasty  of  David,  because  of  Jehovah's  love  for 
him.     To  Jeroboatn,  too,  was  given  the  promise  of  a 
house  as  sure  as  Davids,  if  he  but  obeyed  Jehovah . 
Division  of       The  people  would  pledge  their  allegiance  to  Rehoboam, 
dom^^"j'ero-  oi^^y  o^^  Condition  that  he  would  treat  them  better  than  his 
boam  king    father  had  done.     Adopting,  however,  the  foolish  counsel 
(12:3-25)      of  his  youthful  courtiers,  he  replied  with  deliberate  inso- 
lence which,  by  the  ordinance  of  God,  provoked  Israel  to 
rebellion  against  the  house  of  David,  and  Jeroboam  was 
proclaimed  king  of  Israel.     In  the  struggle  that  followed, 

*  Several  considerations,  derived  from  the  LXX  texts,  suggest  that  this  is 
the  best  arrangement,  as  it  has  also  high  historical  probability. 
192 


the  Historians  i  Kings  13:34 

Judah  and  Benjamin  yielded  to  the  word  of  Jehovah  and  with- 
drew.' Jeroboam,  now  master  of  the  northern  kingdom, 
fortified  Shechem  in  the  heart  of  the  country  and  Penuel 
across  the  Jordan. 

Fearing  that  the  splendor  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  Jeroboam's 
might  revive  in  the  hearts  of  the  people  their  allegiance  to  fi^2:T6°32/^ 
the  Davidic  dynasty,  Jeroboam  set  up  two  golden  calves, 
symbols  of  Jehovah,  in  Bethel  and  Dan,  and  sacrificed  to 
them.  Thus  did  he  make  Israel  to  sift.  He  also  estab- 
lished worship  on  the  high  places,  and  appointed  priests 
who  were  not  Levites. 

At  the  harvest  festival  in  the  royal  sanctuary  at  Bethel  a  man  of  Its  doom 
God  out  of  Judah  foretold  to  Jeroboam  as  he  was  about  to  sacri-  b'^°"°"o*^^ifet 
fice  on  the  iniquitous  altar,  that  a  day  of  vengeance  was  coming.  2  (12:33  to 
A  child  named  Josiah  would  be  born  who  would  sacrifice  upon  ^3  =  34) 
the  altar  the  idolatrous  priests.     In  proof  whereof  the  prophet  of- 
fered a  marvellous  sign,  which  came  to  pass.     Now  Jehovah  had 
charged  the  man  of  God  to  return  by  another  way  to  Judah,  nei- 
ther eating  nor  drinking  on  the  soil  of  the  northern  kingdom.    But 
an  old  prophet  tempted  him  with  a  lie,  and  he  yielded.     Then 
the  prophet  was  inspired  to  proclaim  the  doom  of  his  disobedi- 
ence— for  the  divine  word  is  unchangeable — and  in  a  most  won- 
drous way   the  doom  was  fulfilled.     Likewise  was  the  prophet's 
word  of  doom,  pronounced  upon  the  altar  of  Bethel,  destined  to 
be  unchangeable,  and  in  the  doom  of  Bethel  was  involved  Jero- 
boam and  his  house. 

1  21-24  is  post-exilic.  Benjamin  here  acts  with  Judah — which  contradicts 
the  older  source  in  v.  20.  The  whole  section  contradicts  the  express  state- 
ment in  14 :  30. 

'  For  this  chapter,  see  pp.  182,  183. 


I  Kings  14 : 1  The  Messages  of 

Doom  of  Now  Jeroboam's  son  fell  sick  ;  and  he  sent  his  wife 

Wse°a^of  in  disguise  with  a  present  to  consult  the  prophet.     Heavy 

HngdTom^^'^"  —said   the  prophet,  recognizing  her,  for   he   had  been 

(14 :  i-ao)     divinely  forewarned — heavy  were  the  tidings  he  had  for 

her.      The  idolatrous  apostasy  of  her  husband  Jeroboam 

would  not  go  unpunished.     Evil  would  come  upoti  his 

house,  and  every  man  of  it  would  be  ignominiously  cut 

off  by  a  king  yet  to  come,  all  but  her  innocent  child,  who 

would  soon  die  and  be  buried  in  peace.     The  people  would 

be  swept  away  into  exile  for  the    idolatry    into  which 

Jeroboam  had  led  them.     And  the    child  died,  as  the 

prophet  had  said.  * 

2.  Rehoboam,  King  of  Judah  (i  K.  14  :  21-31), 
937-920  B.  C. 

Rehoboam,       Rehoboam  reigned  over  Judah  in  Jerusalem,  the  chosen 

Jucfah  (14:   city  of  Jehovah.     Judah,  t.00,  provoked  Jehovah  in  that 

"^^'^^^  the  people  practised  all  sorts  of  heathenish  worship,  even 

the  most  immoral.     During  his  reign,  the  king  of  Egypt 

invaded  Jerusalem,  and  carried  away  all  the  temple  and 

palace  treasures,  together  with  the  royal  shields. 

»  One  very  important  LXX  text  (B)  sets  this  story  after  Jeroboam's  return 
from  Egypt,  but  before  he  becomes  king.  The  denunciation  of  the  LXX 
text  is  much  briefer  than  the  Hebrew,  lacking— significantly  enough — the 
Deuteronomic  comment  on  Jeroboam  and  the  fate  of  Israel 


194 


the  Historians  i  Kings  1 5  :  26 


3.  Abijah,  King  of  Judah  (i  K.  15  :  1-8),  920-917  B.  C. 

Rehoboam  was  succeeded  by  his   son,    Abijah,'  who,  Abijah, 

king  of 
Judah  (15 


unlike   David  the  good,  followed  in    his  father's   evil  -"^^  ° 


ways  ;  nevertheless,  for  David's  sake^  the  dy?tasty  was  ^"^^ 
not  destroyed. 

4.  Asa,  King  of  Judah  (i  K.  15  :  9-24),  917-876  B.  C. 
Abijah  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Asa,  who  was  a  good  Asa,  king 

king.  For  he  abolished  the  immoral  worship  of  Jehovah,  his  war  with 
and  deposed  the  queen  mother  for  her  idolatry,  but  he  did  ^^^^^^  '^^  ' 
not  remove  the  high  places.  Throughout  his  whole  reign, 
Israel  and  Judah  were  at  war.  Baasha,  king  of  Israel, 
began  to  fortify  Ramah,  in  order  to  hold  Jerusalem  in 
check.  In  alarm,  Asa,  by  means  of  the  temple  treasures, 
bought  the  friendship  of  Ben-hadad  of  Damascus,  who 
was  in  league  with  Baasha,  and  Ben-hadad  drew  off 
Baasha  by  attacking  northern  Israel.  Then  Asa  engaged 
all  his  people  in  the  dismantling  of  Ramah,  and  the  for- 
tifying of  two  border  towns. 

5.  Nadab,  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  15  :  2S-32),  915-913  B.  C. 

In  Israel,  Jeroboam  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Nadab,  Nadab, 

who  walked  in  his  father  s  evil  way.     In  a  military  rev-  raef(^5  \' 

25-32) 

1  So  in  LXX  and  2  Chr.  13  :  i.  The  change  to  Abijam  might  be  either 
accidental  or  intentional,  to  avoid  the  association  of  the  divine  name  (Jah) 
with  such  a  king. 

2  II  :  36. 


I  Kings  15:27  The  Messages  of 

olution,  he  and  all  his  house  were  murdered  by  Baasha, 
and  thtis  the  prophetic  word  was  fulfilled} 

6.  Baasha,  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  15  :  33  to,  16  : 7),  913-889 
B.  C. 
Baasha,  But  Baasha,  too,  walked  in  the  evil  way  of  Jeroboam  ; 

raef(°V-^33  CLud  as  Ms  sin  was  like  Jeroboam  s,  so,  too,  was  destined 
to  16  :  7)       ^^  i,g  jii^  doom — so  a  prophet  announced. 

7.  Elah,  King  of  Israel  {\  K.  16  :  8-14),  889-887  B.  C. 
Elah,  king        Nor  was  the  doofn  long  in  corning  ;  for  in  another  revo- 
(iV-%^-h)     lution,  Baasha's  son  and  successor  Elah,  with  all  his  house, 

was  murdered  by  Zimri,  a  captain  in  the  army,  and  thus 

the  prophetic  word  was  fulfilled. 

8.  Zimri,  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  16  :  15-20),  887  B.  C. 

Zimri,  king       On  this  news,  Omri,  the  commander-in-chief,  was  pro- 

(iVfTslo)    claimed  king  by  the  army,  which  then  besieged  the  royal 

capital,  Tirzah.     Whereupon  Zimri,  who  had  reigned  but 

seven  days,  burnt  the  palace  over  his  own  head,  and  so  met 

his  death,  because  he  had  walked  in  the  way  of  Jeroboam. 

9.  Ofnri,  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  16  :  21-28),  887-875  B.  C. 
Omri,  king  At  first,  Omri's  authority  was  disputed,  but  the  death  of 
lleTti\^)    his  rival,  and  his  rival's  brother,^  left  him  unchallenged. 

I  14  :  10. 

»  "  Tibni  died  and  Joram  his  brother  at  that  time."     So  LXX. 

196 


the  Historians  i  Kings  i6  :  34 

The  finely  situated  Samaria  he  fortified  and  made  his 
capital.  But  he,  too,  even  more  than  his  predecessors, 
walked  in  the  way  of  Jeroboam. 

10.  Ahab,  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  16  :  29  to  22  :  40),  875-853 
B.  C. 

Still  worse  was  his  son  and  successor  Ahab  ;  for  he  Ahab  and 
married  Jezebel,  the  daughter  of  the  Phoenician  king,  and  shtp  (TeT 
adopted  thereby  the  worship  of  the  Phoenician  Baal,  thus  ^^'^^^ 
provoking   Jehovah  to  anger.      The  curse  invoked   by 
Joshua  on  the  man  who  would  fortify  Jericho,  fell  upon 
Achiel. ' 

1  Josh.  6  :  26.  Achiel  is  his  name  in  the  LXX.  "  Fortify"  rather  than 
"build,"  as  the  city  of  Jericho  is  more  than  once  mentioned  as  existing  in 
the  period  between  Joshua  and  Ahab.     Cf.  Jud.  3  :  13,  2  S.  10  :  5. 


197 


I  Kings  17  : 1  The  Messages  of 

II.    The  Stories  Regarding  Elijah  and  Elisha. 

Chapter  17  of  the  first  Book  of  Kings  ushers  us  into 
a  new  world.  From  kings  we  pass  to  prophets,  and  the 
formal  notices  of  chapter  16  yield  at  once  to  a  narra- 
tive of  exceptionally  graphic  interest  and  power,  which 
the  hand  of  the  redactor  has  scarcely  touched.  The 
existence  of  an  altar  of  Jehovah  on  Carmel,'  of  many 
altars  throughout  the  land,''  and  the  advice  given  by  Eli- 
sha ^  in  express  contradiction  of  Deuteronomy,*  show  that 
this  group  of  narratives,  which  was  written  in  the  northern 
kingdom,^  precedes  Deuteronomy.  The  only  important 
redactional  touch  is  in  i  Kings  18  :  31,  32,*  where  the  re- 
pairing of  an  old  altar  is  represented  as  the  erection  of  a 
new  and  special  one,  typical  of  the  unity  of  Israel. 

A  comparison  of  the  Elijah  group  with  chapters  20  and 
22  :  1-38,  as  well  as  the  general  impression  made  by  the 
narrative,  suggest  that  the  figure  of  Elijah  has  been  some- 
what idealized.  There  the  prophet  is  Micah,  the  son  of 
Imlah ;  Elijah  is  not  even  mentioned,  though  Jehosha- 
phat  twice  asks  if  there  is  a  prophet  of  Jehovah. «  Ahab 
appears  there,  too,  in  a  more  favorable  light.  The  tend- 
ency to  idealize  is  still  more  clearly  seen  in  the  later  fig- 
ure Elisha.     His  miracles  are  more  numerous  and  more 

*  I  K.  18  :  30.  2  ig  ;  10,  3  2  K.  3  :  19.  *  20  :  19. 

*  Cf.  I  K.  19  :  3  Beersheba,  zvhich  belongeth  to  Judah. 

*  I  K.  22  :  7  and  2  K.  3  :  11. 

198 


the  Historians  Elijah 

strange.'  His  dignity  must  be  recognized.^  He  is  all  but 
inaccessible.^  Repeatedly  obeisance  is  done  him.'*  He 
has  even  a  sort  of  omniscience.  ^  Yet  withal  he  is  not  near- 
ly so  impressive  a  figure  as  Elijah  ;  contrast  his  words 
before  Joram '  with  those  of  Elijah  before  Ahab.''  His 
miracles  are  in  great  part  but  shadows  of  Elijah's.  We 
clearly  do  not  possess  the  stories  in  their  original  entirety. 
The  Elisha  group  is  more  loosely  connected  than  the 
Elijah  group,  and  even  in  the  latter  there  are  obvious 
omissions.  There  must  have  originally  been  something, 
for  example,  to  explain  the  scene  of  the  first  episode,® 
and  above  all  to  justify  the  doom  pronounced  on  Ahab,' 
though  the  sequel  makes  it  clear  that  tt  was  the  penalty 
for  Baal  worship.'" 

Elijah  is  one  of  the  Titans  of  literature,  as  he  is  of  re- 
ligion. His  appearances  and  disappearances  are  swift  as 
lightning;  his  words  are  words  of  thunder.  Splendidly 
dramatic  are  the  scenes  where  Elijah  and  Ahab  meet — the 
champion  of  single-heartedness  and  the  champion  of  com- 
promise.   The  grim  and  fearless  "  man  with  his  terrible 

I  Cf.  especially  2  K.  13  :  20,  21.  2  2  K.  5  :  8.  84;  11-15. 
♦  2  :  15  and  4  :  15,  37.                            ^5-26.  «  3  :  14. 

'  I  K.  17  :  I.  8  Cf.  17  :  3  (hence). 

"  17  :  I.     It  is  implied,  no  doubt  in  16  :  31-33  ;  but  that  is  not  part  of  the 
Elijah  group  of  stories,  nor  do  the  words  of  the  doom  allude  to  that. 
1°  For  the  rain  comes  when  the  Baal  prophets  are  slain,  18  :  40,  41. 

II  He  is  afraid  once,  (i  K.  19  :  3.  R.  V.  margin.)  The  Hebrew  consonants 
for  "  he  was  afraid,"  which  is  the  reading  of  the  LXX,  were  pointed  by  the 
Massoretes  to  mean  "he  saw." 

199 


Elijah  The  Messages  of 

word,  strong  in  the  might  of  Jehovah  his  God,  as  his 
name  implies,  can  face  a  king  who  hates  him  and  has  out- 
lawed him,  crowds  that  are  hostile  to  him,  and  can  even 
mock  the  god  who  is  being  worshipped  with  a  passion  of 
frenzy,  when  failure  to  made  good  his  taunts  meant  all 
but  certain  death.  He  came  at  a  time  when  Israel's  re- 
ligion was  imperilled  from  the  side  of  the  cruel  and  licen- 
tious religion  of  Phoenicia,  through  the  marriage  of  Israel's 
king  with  the  princess  of  Tyre  ;  and  he  carried  that  relig- 
ion triumphantly  over  a  crisis  which,  but  for  him,  under 
God,  might  have  spelt  ruin  for  all  that  Israel  was  meant 
to  stand  for  in  the  world.  Then,  too,  as  always,  idolatry 
meant  immorality.  Elijah's  denunciation  of  the  covetous 
Ahab  for  the  murder  of  Naboth  is  as  significant  if  not  as 
epoch-making  in  the  history  of  religion,  as  was  his  ironi- 
cal assault  on  the  Baal.  The  religion  which  he  cham- 
pioned was  instinct  with  morality.  When  we  look  at  the 
stern  man,  and  at  his  noble  and  abiding  work,  we  cannot 
wonder  that  partly  by  his  personality  and  partly  by  his 
unique  place  among  the  prophets,  he  dominated  the  He- 
brew imagination  for  centuries.  In  dark  days,  when  hearts 
were  breaking,  and  good  men  had  begun  to  despair  of  the 
justice  and  the  love  of  God,  and  there  was  no  more  any 
great  prophet  in  the  land,  it  was  to  the  coming  again  of 
this  mighty  one  that  they  looked  to  reunite  the  families 
whom  sin  and  ambition  had  divided.^    And  when  at  last 

1  Mai.  4  :  s,  6. 
200 


the  Historians  \  Kings  i8:8 

the  great  Prophet  appeared  who  should  come  into  the 
world,  the  honest  and  untutored  instinct  of  the  common 
people  recognized  in  him  the  majesty  and  power  of  Eli- 
jah.* 

12.   Tales  of  Elijah  (i  K.  17  to  2  K.  i) 

Suddenly  Elijah  of  Gilead  appears  before  Ahab  and  an-  Elijah  pro- 
nounces a  coming  drought  and  famine,  in  chastisement  for  dro^ht 
the  Baal  worship.     As  swiftly  he  disappears.  ^^7  :  0 

Now   an   outlaw,  he   is   swept   by  the  divine  impulse  Elijah  at  the 
within  him  to  the  torrent  Cherith,  and  there  he  is  miracu-  (^^^l-b) 
lously  sustained  by  ravens  until  the  torrent  dried. 

Then  the  same  impulse  swept  him  to  Zarephath  in  At  Zare- 
Phoenicia,  the  land  of  the  Baal  worshippers,  one  of  whom,  ^24,)  ' 
a  poor  widow  woman,  in  simple  obedience  to  his  word, 
was  miraculously  enabled  to  sustain  herself,  her  son,  and 
him  in  the  sore  famine.  Again  her  son,  who  had  fallen 
sick  and  died,'^  was  miraculously  raised  from  the  dead  in 
answer  to  the  prophet's  prayer.  Thus  the  woman  learned 
that  the  God  of  Israel  is  a  God  whose  word,  spoken 
through  his  prophet,  is  sure. 

In  the  third  year  of   the  drought  Elijah  was  divinely  Elijah  ap- 
impelled  to  appear  before  Ahab  with  the  promise  of  rain.  befo?e^Ahab 
On  the  way,  he  suddenly  confronted  Obadiah,  a  devout  ('^  •  ^'^^^ 
officer  in  Ahab's  household  ;  but,  so  strangely  was  Elijah 

»  Mt.  16: 14. 

2  This  is  not  said  in  so  many  words.     Indeed,  v.  17  almost  appears  to  avoid 
saying  so.     But  the  whole  story,  especially  w.  21,  22,  implies  it. 
201 


I  Kings  i8  :  lo  The  Messages  of 

wont  to  vanish — swept  away  by  the  spirit  of  Jehovah  ^  — 
that  Obadiah,  fearing  for  his  own  life,  was  loath  at  first  to 
announce  his  presence  to  Ahab.     But  that  very  day,  Eli- 
jah fearlessly  faced  the  angry  king,  denounced  his  support 
of  the  Baal  worship,  and  proposed  to  put  the  power  of  the 
contending  gods,  Jehovah  and  Baal,  to  a  searching  test. 
Ahab  accepted  the  challenge. 
The  triumph      Baal,  however,  could  do  nothing,  not  even  when  long 
oti^Balfon  and  wildly  supplicated  by  his  prophets,  nor  yet  when  stung 
Sl^zi-  o)    ^y  ^^^  reproachful  irony  of  Elijah.     Then,  in  answer  to 
the  lonely  prophet's  solemn  prayer  to  Israel's  God,  fire 
came  down   from   heaven   and  consumed  the   sacrifice. 
Thus  Jehovah  triumphed  over  Baal,  and  his  triumph  was 
acknowledged  by  the  prostrate  people  in  the  twice  repeated 
words  :  "  Jehovah  is  the  God."     By  the  command  of  the 
stern  Elijah,  the  Baal  prophets  were  slain. 
The  rain  The  penalty  had  now  been  paid,  and  instantly  was  heard 

41^46)^^'  ^^  tremulous  prophecy  of  rain.  Elijah  bade  Ahab  de- 
part with  all  haste,  lest  it  should  overtake  him.  Speedily 
the  sky  grew  black.  The  rain  fell  in  torrents ;  and  in  wild 
ecstatic  mood,  Elijah  ran  before  the  royal  chariot  across 
the  plain  of  Jezreel. 
Elijah's  Threatened  by  Jezebel  with  instant  vengeance  for  the 

qukkened     slaughter  of  the  prophets  of  Baal,  Elijah  fled  beyond  the 
T  ^Ti8)     confines  of  Israel  to  the  southernmost  sanctuary  of  Judah, 
whence,  weary  of  his  life,  yet  strengthened  by  an  angel, 

»  Cf.  Acts  8  :  39. 


the  Historians  i  Kings  21  :  i6 

he  went  on  pilgrinmage  to  meet  his  God  in  distant  Horeb, 
Jehovah's  ancient  home,  scene  of  the  ancient  covenant, 
now  broken  by  the  people.  There  to  the  despondent 
man  Jehovah  revealed  his  quiet  majesty,  heralded  indeed 
by  storm,  earthquake,  and  fire,  but  other  and  greater  though 
gentler  than  they.*  Thus  cheered  and  strengthened,  he 
was  divinely  charged  to  inaugurate  the  doom  of  the  idol- 
aters, by  anointing  the  two  kings — one  over  Aram,  and  one 
over  Israel — through  whom  that  doom  would  be  wrought. 
Jehovah's  cause,  he  was  divinely  assured,  would  survive. 
It  was  not  so  desperate  as  he  had  deemed  ;  there  were 
others  besides  himself  who  had  not  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal. 

So"  Elijah  cast  his  own  prophetic  mantle  upon  Elisha,  Thecaiiof 
whom  he  found  ploughing,  and  Elisha  arose  and  followed  19-ai) 
him  and  became  his  servant. 

Now  the  king  who  had  supported  the  Baal  worship  was  Elijah's 
also  covetous  and  unjust.     Nursing  sullen  wrath  because  ship"S* jus- 
Naboth  refused  to  surrender  to  him  his  ancestral  vineyard  *'^®  ^^'^ 
in  Jezreel,  he  at  last  gained  his  end  through  a  cruel  murder 

*  The  sequel,  especially  v.  17,  shows  that  this  passage  is  not  intended  as 
a  rebuke  of  Elijah's  violence.  It  is  a  contribution  to  the  spirituality  rather 
than  the  gentleness  of  the  divine  nature. 

"^  Apparently  there  originally  stood  before  v.  19,  the  account  of  Elijah's 
anointing  of  Hazael  and  Jehu.  "  Thence  "  will  then  mean  "  from  some  spot 
in  northern  Israel,"  which  would  in  no  case  be  very  far  from  Elisha's  home 
in  Galilee.  The  account  would  then  be  omitted  by  the  redactor,  because  in 
the  later  narratives  it  is  Elisha  who  plays  the  chief  part.  In  2  K.  8  :  7  it  is 
he  who  promises  the  kingdom  to  Hazael,  and  in  ch  9,  it  is  a  disciple  of  his, 
inspired  by  him,  who  is  responsible  for  the  revolution  of  Jehu. 
203 


t  Kings  21  :  17  T/ie  Messages  of 

planned  by  his  wily  queen.  Swiftly  Elijah  appeared  be- 
fore him,  and  in  the  name  of  the  righteous  Jehovah  an- 
nounced his  doom,  and  that  of  Jezebel,  atid  of  all  his  pos- 
terity— rui7i  as  the  rtiifi  of  Jeroboam  and  Baashaj  for 
with  unprecedented  wickedness  he  had  followed  all  the  idolatry 
of  the  Amorites,  seduced  thereto  by  Jezebel 

13.  The  Wars  and  Death  of  Ahab  (i  K.  20  and  22  : 1-40) 

Ahab's  war  Benhadad,  the  king  of  Aram,  demanded  from  his  vassal 
wlfh^Aram  Ahab  (who  was  purposing  to  throw  off  the  yoke)  substan- 
^*°^  tial  proof  of  his  homage ;  and  not  content  with  this,  he 

went  on  to  demand  the  surrender  of  his  capital  Samaria.' 
Ahab  refused,  and  replied  to  his  insolence  with  a  proverb 
which  provoked  Benhadad  to  attack.  A  prophet  assured 
Ahab  of  the  victory,  and  with  about  seven  thousand  men  he 
inflicted  a  crushing  defeat  upon  the  careless  and  confident 
Benhadad,  The  prophet  warned  him  to  prepare  for  another 
assault  in  the  coming  year.  The  assault  came.  Fancying 
that  Jehovah  was  but  a  god  of  the  hills,  who  could  not 
help  his  people  in  the  plains,  the  Arameans  mustered  in 
the  plain  of  Jezreel,  and  a  man  of  God  again  foretold  the  victory 
of  Ahab,  whereby  Jehovah  would  dispel  the  illusion  of  the  Ara- 
means.    Again  the  Arameans  sustained  a  phenomenal  de- 

1  This  seems  to  be  the  general  sense  of  this  obscure  passage.  The  sec- 
ond demand,  which  Ahab  refuses,  is,  in  our  present  text,  practically  a  rep- 
etition of,  not  an  advance  upon,  the  first  which  he  concedes.  The  LXX 
punctuates  v.  7  so  as  to  suggest  that  the  first  demand  was  for  his  property, 
and  the  second  for  his  family ;  but  this  is  not  in  agreement  with  w.  4,  5. 
204 


the  Historians  i  Kings  22  :  28 

feat,  and  Benhadad  had  to  hide.  But  Ahab  mercifully 
spared  him,  and  a  treaty  was  concluded  which  gave  Ahab 
the  right  to  the  cities  which  Omri  had  lost  to  Aram,  and 
the  right  of  trading  in  the  Aramean  capital,  Damascus. 
In  an  acted  parable,  which  illustrated  the  truth  that  disobedience 
to  the  divine  word  meant  death,  a  prophet  foretold  his  doom  for 
frustrating  Jehovah's  purpose  by  letting  Benhadad  go. 

Peace  lasted  for  three  years.     Then  Ahab  '  called  upon  Ahab  and 
his  vassal,  Jehoshaphat,  king  of  Judah,  to  help  him  in  an  phat^  before 
attack  on  Ramoth  in  Gilead,  which  was  siill  in  the  hands  |,"acking 

'  Ramoth, 

of  Aram.     First,  however,  he  consulted  the   assembled  consult  the 

prophets  : 

prophets  at  the  request  of  Jehoshaphat.  Then  as  their  Micah's 
unanimous  assurance  of  success  roused  Jehoshaphat's  fsa"?  w8) 
suspicions,  he  sent  for  the  sincere  and  stern  Micah,  who 
only  spoke  as  Jehovah  bade.  At  first  he,  too,  gave  an 
ironical "  assurance  of  success  ;  but  when  put  upon  his 
oath  he  spoke  out  the  melancholy  truth  revealed  to  him 
in  vision  :  how  that  as  Jehovah  sat  upon  his  throne  in 
heaven,  in  council  with  his  assembled  servants,  one  spirit 
had  offered  to  deceive  the  prophets  of  Ahab,  and  so  lure 
him  to  his  doom.  For  this  bold,  unwelcome  message, 
Micah  was  rewarded  with  a  prison  ;  but  he  challenged  the 
coming  days  to  confirm  his  word. 

Despite  this  gloomy  message,  the  two  kings  went  forth 

'  Encouraged  by  the  Assyrian  attacks  upon  Damascus. 
2  Or  the  meaning  may  be,    "  In   fulfilment  of  Jehovah's  purpose  that 
Ahab  should  be  deceived,"  cf.  2  K.  8  :  10. 
205 


I  Kings  22  :  29  The  Messages  of 

Ahab  slain    to  battle  against  the  king  of  Aram  in  Ramoth,  where, 
(22 :  29-40)    jjQj-^iti^standing  his  disguise,  Ahab  was  slain.     He  was 
brought  to  Samaria  and  buried  there.     Thus  was  fulfilled 
the  ignominious  doom  foretold  by  the  prophet.^ 

14.  Ahaziah,  King  of  Israel  (i  K.  22  :  51  to  2  K.  i  :  18), 
853-851  B.  C. 

Elijah  pro-        In  Israel,  Ahab  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Ahaziah,  who 

dSom  on  rhe'walked  in  the  way  of  his  father  and  mother  and  of  fero- 

Ahazfah       boam,  and  provoked  fehovah  by  serving  Baal.     Thus  it 

(1K.22:      was  a  Philistine  god  that  he  consulted  when  sick.     Sud- 

1 :  8-i8)        denly  Elijah  appeared  before  his  messengers  with  his  word 

of  doom  :  "  Is  there  no  God  in  Israel  to  consult  ?     Say  to 

your  master,  '  Thou  shalt  die.'  "    With  that  he  vanished. 

Twice  did  Ahaziah  send  an  armed  force  to  seize  Elijah  ;  and  twice 

he  called  down  upon  them  the  fire  of  heaven  which  consumed 

them.      But  the  third  captain  showed    due    reverence    to    the 

prophet  of  God,  and  with  his  force  Elijah  went  back  to  the  king 

and  repeated  his  words  of  doom.     And   he  died,  as  Elijah 

had  said.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  brother  Joram. 

15.  Elisha  as  Elijah's  Successor  (2  K.  2  :  1-25) 

Elijah's  When  Jehovah  was  about  to  take  Elijah '  up  into  heaven, 

foe '("^T-is)  Elisha  clung  to  his  side,  and  vowed  not  to  leave  him. 

After  crossing  the  Jordan,  whose  waters  Elijah  had  smit- 

1  According  to  i  K.  21  :  19  (cf.  13)  this  was  to  happen  in  Jezreel. 
3  Several  considerations  suggest  that  this  tale  belongs  to  the  Elisha,  not  to 
the  Elijah  group. 

206 


the  Historians  2  Kings  3  :  7 

ten  with  his  prophetic  mantle,  Elisha  begged  that  a  double 
portion  of  his  spirit  might  rest  upon  him,  as  upon  a  first- 
born son.  The  spirit  would  be  his,  said  Elijah,  if  he  had 
the  eye  for  the  vision.  Even  as  they  spoke,  swiftly  there 
appeared  a  chariot  and  horses  of  fire,  and  Elijah  went  up 
by  a  whirlwind  into  heaven,  invisible  to  the  common  eyes 
of  the  sons  of  the  prophets,  but  seen  of  Elisha,  who  cried, 
"  My  father,  my  father !  the  chariot  of  Israel  and  the 
horsemen  thereof. "  Left  alone,  with  the  mantle  of  his 
master,  Elisha  proved  his  power,  and  the  sons  of  the 
prophets  did  him  obeisance. 

Now  that  Elijah  was  not — for  he  was  sought  and  could  EHsha's  / 
not  be  found — Elisha's  influence  grew.     He  performed  a  JTeSng,  and 
miracle  of  grace,  healing  deadly  waters  ;  and  children  who  ^[^p^^'''^ 
mocked  him  met  with  an  awful  doom.  (2 :  16-25) 

16.  Elisha  s  Activity  fro7n  the  Reign  of  Joram,  King 
of  Israel  {Zsi-H^  B.  C),  to  that  of  Joash  (3  :  i  to  8 : 
15  and  13  :  14-21). 

In  Israel,  Ahaziah  was  succeeded  by  his  brother  Joram,*  joram,  king 
who  introduced  a  religious  reform,  but  nevertheless  cleaved  ^^ .  j^^) 
to  the  sins  of  feroboam. 

During  his  reign  the  king  of  Moab  revolted  from  Israel,^  His  war  with 
and  refused  the  customary  tribute.  Whereupon  Joram  ,g)*^  ^^'''' 
called  upon  his  vassal,  Jehoshaphat  of  Judah,  to  aid  him  in 

1  The  synchronism  in  3  :  i  is  differently  given  in  i  :  17. 
83:5  =  1:1. 

207 


2  Kings  3  : 9  The  Messages  of 

reducing  Moab,  and  the  king  of  Edom  accompanied  them 
as  vassal  of  Judah.^     On  their  march  round  the  southern 
end  of  the  Dead  Sea  they  found  themselves  without  water. 
The  pious  Jehoshaphat  proposed  to  consult  a  prophet. 
Elisha,  to  whom  they  went,  at  first  ironically  sent  Joram 
to  the  Baal  prophets  of  his  father  and  mother  for  answer. 
Then,  moved  to  the  prophetic  mood  by  strains  of  music, 
he  foretold  the  filling  of  trenches  by  water  without  wind 
or  rain,  promised  victory,  and  counselled  them  to  ruin  the 
wells,  trees,  and  goodly  land. 
Israel  retires     Every  word  Came  to  pass.     Under  a  mistaken  impres- 
(3 :  20-27)      gjQj^^  ^i^g  Moabites  attacked,  only  to  be  repulsed  once  and 
again.     In  desperation,  the  king  of  Moab  offered  his  eld- 
est son  in  sacrifice  to  Chemosh,  his  god.     Then  the  tide 
turned,  and  Israel  had  to  retire  to  their  own  land. 
The  miracle      For  the  widow  of  a  dead  prophet,  whose  sons  were  to 
cJu?e^(°'- 1-  ^^  ^^^^  ^"  slavery  for  payment  of  a  debt,  Elisha,  like  his 
7)  master,^  wrought  a  miracle  which  saved  both  her  and 

them. 

The  raising       In  retum  for  the  hospitality  which  a  certain  devout  and 

widow's  son  wealthy  woman  had  shown  him,  Elisha  promised  her  a 

(4  : 8-37)       son  ;  and  in  strange  wise,  his  word  was  fulfilled.    One  day 

the  child  received  a  sunstroke  and  died.    Straightway  his 

mother  hastened  to  Carmel,  to  speak  with  Elisha.    In  pity, 

the  prophet  sent  on  his  servant  with  his  staff  ^  in  haste, 

1  Cf.  I  K.  22  :  47 :  2  K.  8  :  20.  2  i  K.  17  :  8-16. 

>  Suggesting  that  the  staff  was  expected  to  work  a  cure. 

208 


the  Historians  2  Kings  5  : 6 

but  to  no  purpose.  When  he  came  himself,  the  child  was 
dead  ;  but  in  answer  to  his  prayer,  as  once  in  answer  to  his 
master's,*  the  child  was  miraculously  raised  from  the  dead, 
and  his  mother  did  obeisance  to  the  prophet. 

He  then  told  her  of  the  coming  famine,  and  bade  her  EHsha 
sojourn  away  from  Israel.     On  her  return,  she  appealed  Swadon  ^ 
to  the  king  for  the  recovery  of  her  property  which,  in  her  ^^^^'^'^^^^ 
absence,  had  been  appropriated.    Hearing  from  the  proph-  (8  : 1-6) 
et's  servant  of  his  master's  miraculous  power,  and  how  he 
had  used  it  in  bringing  back  this  very  woman's  son  from 
the  dead,  the  king  restored  to  her,  as  the  prophet's  friend, 
all  that  had  been  hers,  with  increase. 

During  the  famine,  Elisha  miraculously  rendered  harm-  The  miracle 
less  some  deadly  gourds  of  a  wild  vine  which,  in  their  dis- 1^\  ^^°^)  ^ 
tress,  the  famished  sons  of  the  prophets  were  eating. 

Again  he  fed  a  great  multitude  with  a  single  offering  of  The  miracle 
first  fruits,  and  there  was  enough  and  to  spare.  uig(4:4?-44) 

While  the  sons  of  the  prophets  were  building  for  them-  The  miracle 
selves  a  larger  home  on  the  banks  of  the  Jordan,  one  of  fngiron*??:" 
them  let  a  borrowed  axe-head  fall  into  the  water.     Elisha  ^"7) 
miraculously  brought  it  to  the  surface. 

Ae:ain  the  prophet  proved  his  power  by  a  miraculous  The  healing 

,      ,  rr.,        ,  •  f     A  of  Naaman 

heahng.     It   happened   thus.     The   kmg  of  Aram  sent  (5 :  i.jg) 
Naaman,  the  captain  of  his  army,  who  was  a  leper,  to  the 
vassal  king  of  Israel  with  money  and  instructions  to  see 
to  his  recovery.     Hearing  of  the  king's  perplexity  and 

1  I  K.  17 :  21,  22. 
209 


2  Kings  5  :  8 


The  Messages  of 


Leprosy  the 
reward  of 
covetous- 
ness : 
Gehazi 
smitten 
(5  :  20-27) 


Elisha's 
devices 
against  the 
Arameans 
(6 :  8-23) 


conscious  of  his  own  prophetic  power,  Elisha  interposed. 
He  bade  the  leprous  captain  wash  seven  times  in  Jordan, 
the  river  of  subject  Israel.  At  first  Naaman  angrily  re- 
fused ;  but  afterwards  he  yielded  and  was  healed.  His 
miraculous  cure  drew  from  him  a  confession  of  faith  in 
Israel's  God  as  the  only  God  in  all  the  earth,  and  he  took 
away  to  his  own  land  soil  from  the  land  of  Israel  that  he 
might  be  able  to  worship  Israel's  God  on  Israel's  soil. 
Elisha  suffered  him,  as  the  king's  servant,  to  bow  with  him 
in  the  temple  of  Rimmon.^ 

The  prophet  would  take  no  reward  of  the  captain ;  but 
his  servant  was  not  like-minded.  With  a  lie  he  won  a 
present  from  Naaman,  and  he  won  with  the  gift  the  lep- 
rosy of  the  giver ;  for  Elisha  read  his  heart  and  uttered  his 
doom. 

The  king  of  Aram  sent  bands  to  ambush  the  king  of 
Israel ;  but  Elisha,  who  had  open  eyes  for  the  wiles  of  the 
foe,  always  warned  the  king,  to  the  surprise  of  the  Ara- 
mean,  who  suspected  treachery  in  his  own  court.  On 
learning  that  his  real  enemy  was  the  prophet  Elisha,  he 
sent  a  host  with  horses  and  chariots  to  take  him  prisoner  ; 
but,  unseen  of  all  but  God-opened  eyes  was  another  host 
to  match — even  horses  and  chariots  of  fire  round  about 
Elisha.     Blindly  "^  the  host  was  led  on  by  Elisha  to  the 


»  "  For  only  on  his  own  land  is  Jehovah  a  jealous  God."    (Benzinger.) 
2  Was  the  blindness  of  the  Aramean  host  originally  blindness  to  the  forces 
round  Elisha  (cf.  v.  17)  ? 

210 


the  Historians  2  Kings  8:11 

capital  of  Israel,  and  there  their  eyes  were  opened — there, 
in  the  midst  of  their  foes.  But  the  generous  prophet 
saved  them  from  the  vengeance  of  the  king,  and  the 
bands  retired. 

In  the  siege  of  Samaria  by  the  king  of  Aram,  when  the  Famine  in 
distress  was  at  its  sorest,  and  the  king  of  Israel,  losing  his  ItS's^ ' 
faith  in  Jehovah,  had  threatened  the  life  of  Elisha,  the  ^^""^  ^"^ 

"i  filled  (6  :  24 

prophet  foretold  speedy  deliverance  from  famine ;  and  so  to  7 :  20) 
it  was.  For  through  four  outcast  lepers  the  welcome  news 
that  the  panic-stricken  besiegers  had  taken  to  sudden 
flight,  was  brought  to  the  incredulous  king.  After  due 
precaution,  the  beleaguered  people  went  out  and  spoiled 
the  tents  of  their  foes.  Thus  was  Elisha's  prophecy  ful- 
filled, and  the  nobleman  who  had  doubted  his  word,  per- 
ished as  the  prophet  had  foretold. 

Benhadad  of  Aram,  who  had  fallen  sick,  sent  Hazael  Elisha's  In- 
with  a  present  to  his  life-long  foe,  the  prophet  Elisha,  to  th"e^Ara°" 
learn  the  issue  of   his  sickness.     The  issue  was  to  be  ™^^."  ^^^' 

cession 

death  ;  ^  but  Elisha  disarmed  his  suspicion  by  promising  (8  : 7-15) 
recovery,  for  Jehovah  had  a  purpose  to  fulfil  through  the 
succession  of  the  ruthless  Hazael,  the  vision  of  whose 
cruelties  brought  tears  to  Elisha's  eyes.     In  accordance 


1  The  Massoretes,  to  remove  the  appearance  of  falsehood,  have  substi- 
tuted the  word  "not"  for  the  original  word  "  to  him."  Both  words  have 
the  same  sound  in  Hebrew  (/5).  In  this  way,  the  words  "  Say  to  hitn 
'  Thou  shalt  surely  recover,'  "  have  become,  "  Say,  '  Surely  thou  shalt  not 
recover.'  " 

211 


2  Kings  8:15  The  Messages  of 

with    the    prophet's    word,   Hazael    succeeded '  to    the 

throne.' 
Elisha's  As  EHsha  drew  near  his  end,  the  king  of  Israel,  who 

ise't^joTsh'  was  now  Joash,  wept  and  said,  "  My  father,  my  father  ! 
(13  :  H-19)    j-he  chariot  of  Israel  and  the  horsemen  thereof ;  "  ^  for  he 

had  been  Israel's  mainstay  in  the  long  war  with  Aram. 

As  a  parting  benediction,  the  aged  prophet,  with  word  and 

symbol,  promised  him  at  least  limited  victory  over  Aram. 
The  last  After  death  he  was  mighty  as  in  life.     By  contact  with 

™3'^r2o,  21)  his  bones,  a  dead  man  came  to  life  again  and  stood  upon 

his  feet. 

17.    Jehoshaphat,  King  of  Judah  (i  K.  22  :  41-50),  876- 
851  B.  C. 

Jehosha.  In  Judah,  Asa  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Jehoshaphat, 

of'judah^  a  good  king,  who  removed  the  remnant  of  the  immoral 
(22 :  41-50)  worship.  Nevertheless  the  high  places  were  Jiot  taken 
away  :  on  them  the  people  still  sacrificed  and  burnt  in- 
cense. After  the  wreck  of  a  merchantman,  Jehoshaphat 
rejected  the  proposal  of  the  king  of  Israel  to  undertake 
voyages  with  him  in  common. 

1  Probably  by  the  murder  of  the  king. 

3  Here  probably  followed  in  this  source  the  story  of  the  accession  of  Jehu 
(of.  I  K.  19  :  IS,  16)  corresponding  to  ch.  9  which,  at  least  in  its  present 
form,  does  not  belong  to  this  group. 

8  This  phrase  has  here  a  more  political  significance  (cf.  6  :  12)  than  it 
could  have  in  its  application  to  Elijah,  2  :  12.     There  it  was  suggested  by, 
even  if  it  did  not  allude  to,  the  chariot  and  horses  of  fire. 
212 


the  Historians  2  Kings  9  :  10 

18.  Jehoram,  Kingofjudah  (2  K.  8  :  16-24),  851-843  B.  C. 

In  Judah,  Jehoshaphat  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Jeho-  Jehoram, 

Icinsf  of 

ram.     He  walked  in  the  way  of  the  kings  of  Israel,  as  judah  (2  K. 

did  the   house  of  Ahab  ;  for  he  had  married  Athaliah,  ^  ■  ^^"'^^ 

the  daughter  of  Ahab.      Yet  Jehovah  spared  Judah  for 

the  sake  of  his  pro7nise  to  David. 

In  his  time  Edom,  which  had  been  Judah's  vassal,  re-  Revolt  of 

volted,  and  her  example  was  followed  by  Libnah.  Lib"iSh^(8 : 

20-24) 

19.  Ahaziah,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  8  :  25-27),  843-842  B.  C. 

In  Judah,  Jehoram  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Ahaziah.  Ahaziah, 

IcinsT  of 

He  walked  in  the  way  of  the  house  of  Ahab,  and  did  that  ^y^^^^i  (8  : 
which  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  Jehovah  ;  for  his  mother  ^^'^'^^ 
was  Ahab^s  daughter. 

20.   Jehu,  King  of  Israel  (2  K.  9  and  10),  842-814  B.  C. 

The  days  of  Ahab's  dynasty  were  numbered.     In  the  Jehu 
absence  of  Joram  from  Ramoth,^  which  Israel  was  guard-  king  of 
ing  from  the  assaults  of  Aram,  Elisha  sent  a  prophet  to  Jf^^J  ^^  * 
Jehu,  the  commander-in-chief,  to  anoint  him  king.     This 
the  prophet  did,  and  he  laid  upon  Jehu  the  charge  to 
destroy  all  the  house  of  Ahab,  in  vengeancefor  the  blood  of 
the  prophets  slain,  and  uttered  a  divine  word  of  doom 
on  the  house  of  Ahab  and  on  Jezebel. 

Jehu,  now  openly  acknowedged  king  by  the  army,  con- 
1  Cf.  I  K.  22  :  3. 
213 


2  Kings  9:11  The  Messages  of 

The  murder  spired  against  Joram  who,  with  Ahaziah  of  Judah,  was  then 
Aha^z'iah'      in  Jczrcel,  whither  he  had  gone  to  recover  from  the  wounds 
^^.It-zf^^  that  the  Arameans  had  dealt  him  in  Ramah.     Jehu  cun- 
ningly contrived  to  reach  Jezreel  before  the  kings  got  knowl- 
edge of  the  conspiracy.     When  at  last  they  heard  that  Jehu 
was  near,  suspecting  the  worst,  they  went  forth  against 
the  rebel — forth  to  their  doom  ;    for  Jehu  pierced  king 
Joram  to  the  heart  with  an  arrow,  and  had  his  body  thrown 
into  Naboth's  field,  in  fulfilment  of  the  prophetic  word." 
He  also  had  Ahaziah  slain  ;   and  Jezebel,  the  idolatrous 
queen — resolved  to  meet  her  fate  with  dignity — he  gave 
over  to  a  death  of  shame  and  horror  in  the  field  of  Jezreel, 
in  accordance  with  the  word  of  Elijah.^     Thus  the  cruel  and 
idolatrous  house  of  Ahab  perished. 
Murder  of        The  leading  men  in  the  capital  were  only  too  willing  to 
onlSeUnd  come  to  terms  with  one  who  had  shown  such  authority 
(io*^rw4)      ^^^  violence ;  and  instead  of  adopting  his  tentative  sug- 
gestion to  set  one  of  the  princes  on  the  throne,  they  ful- 
filled his  real  desire  by  slaying  them  all.     With  feigned 
surprise  at  the  atrocity,  he  yet  acknowledged  their  doom 
to  be  the  fulfilment  of  Jehovah's  word  concerning  the 
house  of  Ahab.     After  rooting  out  that  whole  house,  he 
also  slew  forty- two  princes  of  Judah. 

1  The  substance  of  9  :  14,  15  is  carried  back  to  8  :  28,  29,  to  introduce  the 
story  of  Jehu. 

2  Cf.  I  K.  21  :  19.    This  ignores  the  fulfilment  in  i  K.  22  :  38,  which  is  by 
a  later  hand. 

3  I  K.  31  :  23. 

214 


the  Historians  2  Kings  11:2 

In  his  crusade  against  the  Baal  worship,  he  was  sup-  Destruction 
ported  by  Jonadab  and  his  nomad  Rechabites,  who  were  worship  ^^ 
zealous  for  Jehovah,  and  hated  the  life  and  worship  of  ^^°  •  ^^'^^^ 
Canaan.     Then  he  cunningly  aimed  his  decisive  blow  at 
the  Baal  worship.     Under  pretext  of  offering  a  sacrifice  to 
the  Baal,  he  gathered  all  the  Baal  worshippers  together 
into  a  temple,  where  they  were  summarily  slain  and  the 
symbols   of   their  worship   destroyed.       Thtcs  Jehu  de- 
stroyed the  Baal  out  of  Israel,     But  he  departed  7iotfrom 
the  sins  of  Jeroboam  and  the  calf  worship.     Jehovah, 
however,  pro fnised  that  his  dynasty  would  stand  till  the 
fourth  generation  because  he  had  executed  his  purpose 
upon  the  house  of  Ahab. 

In  the  course  of  his  reign,  which  lasted  twenty-eight  Hazael's 
years,  Hazael  of  Aram  won  from  Israel  most  of  the  district  pSgn'^'JioT" 
east  of  the  Jordan.^  32-36) 

21.  Athah'ah,  Queen  of  Judah :  842-836  B.  C.  ;    The 
Revoluii07t  of  Jehoiada  {2  K.   11) 

Now  that  the  throne  of  Judah  was  vacant  by  the  death  Athaiiah, 
of  Ahaziah,  the  queen  mother,"  Athaiiah,  secured  her  own  judlh°  je- 
seat  upon  the  throne  by  the  murder  of  all  the  seed  royal  hoiada's 

'^  ■'  ■'       revolution 

— all  but  Joash,  son  of  Ahaziah,  who  had  been  hidden  by  his  and  reform 

1  Thus  confirming  Elisha's  fears  (8  :  12).  Aram  enjoyed  a  temporary 
peace  after  an  unsuccessful  campaign  of  Assyria  against  her  in  839  B.  C, 
and  was  thus  free  to  attack  Israel. 

3  8  ;  26. 

215 


2  Kings  II :  4  The  Messages  of 

aunt.^  But  after  a  reign  of  six  years,  a  plot  was  formed 
by  Jehoiada,  the  priest  of  the  temple,  supported  by  the  for- 
eign body-guard — to  bring  to  an  end  the  power  of  Ahab's 
idolatrous  daughter.  The  scheme  was  successful.  The 
queen  was  slain,  and  Joash  proclaimed  king.  As  the  rev- 
olution was  largely  inspired  by  religious  motives,  Jehoiada 
made  people  and  king  pledge  themselves  to  Jehovah,  and 
vow  to  be  his  people  exclusively.  At  once  they  proved 
their  zeal  by  vigorously  stamping  out  the  Baal  worship  with 
all  that  pertained  thereto. 

22.  Joash,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.    12),  836-796  B.  C. 

Joash,  king        With  the  exception  of  the  worship  on  the  high  places^ 
the  resujra-    '^^hich  was  Still  maintained,  foash  did  that  which  was 
tlm  °e  ^^^     right  in  the  sight  of  Jehovah.    His  succession  had  been  a 
(12  : 1-16)     triumph  of  the  cause  of  Jehovah,  and  he  took  steps  to  secure 
that  he  should  be  worthily  represented  by  his  temple,  which 
had  fallen  into  neglect.^     The  priests,  however,  were  in 
no  hurry  to  apply  to  the  repairs  of  the  temple  the  gifts  and 
taxes  that  came  into  their  hands.    At  length  Joash,  rebuk- 
ing the  priests,  took  the  matter  firmly  in  hand,  and  the 
money  thenceforth  secured  by  his  new  device  was  devoted 
to  the  repairs  and  paid  directly  to  the  workmen,  who,  un- 
like the  priests,  dealt  honorably.     The  money  obtained 

1  Wife  of  Jehoiada,  who  organized  the  revolution  (2  Chr.  22  :  11). 

2  Likely  under  Athaliah,  who,  in  matters  of  worship,  was  no  doubt  her 
father's  daughter. 

216 


the  Historians  2  Kings  13  :  11 

from  the  guilt  and  sin  offerings  was  not  so  devoted  ;  it 
went  to  the  priests. 

Hazael  of  Aram,  besides  harassing^  Israel  and  reducing  Hazael's 
the  Philistine  Gath,  turned  his  face  threateningly  toward  ^amplfgn : 
Jerusalem.     Joash  only  saved  his  capital  by  surrendering  ^j^'^^g^^ 
the  treasures  of  temple  and  palace.     At  last  he  was  slain  (12  :  17-21) 
in  a  conspiracy  by  his  servants.* 

23.  Jehoahaz,King  of  Israel  (2  K.  13  :  1-9,  22),  814-797 

B.C. 

During  the  reign  of  Joash,  Jehu's  son  Jehoahaz  sue- jehoahaz, 
ceeded  to  the  throne  of  Israel.     But  he  followed  the  sms  i^^i^  op- 
of  feroboarn  ;  so  fehovah  in  anger  abandoned  them  to  ^^^^^m  ti^^ 
the  assaults  of  Aram  under  Hazael  and  his  son,^  who  in-  i-3»  7-9.  22) 
flicted  crushing  losses  on  Israel,  and  harassed  them  all  the 
days  of  the  king. 

24.  foash.  King  of  Israel  {2  K.  13  :  10-13,  23-25),  797-781 

B.C. 
Jehoahaz  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Joash,  who  de- 
parted not  from  all  the  sins  of  Jeroboa?n.      Yet  fehovah 

1  As  recorded  in  13  :  3,  cf.  10  :  32. 

2  Perhaps  due  to  discontent  fostered  by  the  invasion ;  perhaps  in  revenge 
for  the  murder  of  Zechariah,  cf.  2  Chr.  24  :  20-25. 

3  "  But  Jtkoz'ah  -was  moved  by  yehoahaz's  entreaty,  and/or  answer,  he  sent  a 
deliverer  •'  (Joash,  13  :  25  ?  or  Jeroboam  II.  14  :  28  ?  or  the  Assyrians  ?).  Be- 
sides being  obviously  in  the  style  of  the  programme  (see  page  93)  of  the 
Book  of  Judges,  this  passage  (13  :  4-6)  interrupts  and  contradicts  the  context. 

217 


2  Kings  13:23 


The  Messages  of 


Joash,  king  "was  graciously  mindful  of  his  covenant  with  the  patriarchs,  and 

?^  ^?^^^\. .  therefore  Joash,  Seizing  his  opportunity  on  the  death  of 

his  victories  Hazael  ^  was  enabled  to  recover  the  cities  on  the  west 

(13:23-25);  Jordan  which  the  Arameans  had  taken  from  his  father. 

(13 :  12I 13=  He  died  and  was  buried  in  Samaria. 
14: 15/16) 

25.  Amaziah,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  14: 1-22),  796-782 
B.C. 


Amaziah, 
king  of 
Judah 
(14  :  1-6) 


His  war 

with  Edom 
and  Israel 
(14  :  7-14) 


About  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Joash  over  Israel, 
Amaziah,  the  son  of  Joash  of  Judah,  succeeded  to  the 
throne  of  Judah.  With  the  exception  of  the  'W07-ship  on 
the  high  places  which  was  still  maintained,  he  did  that 
which  was  right  in  the  sight  of  Jehovah,  only  not  like 
David,  As  soon  as  his  throne  was  secure,  he  slew  the 
murderers  of  his  father,  but  not  their  children  : "  that  is 
forbidden  in  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy.^ 

Amaziah  had  warlike  ambitions.  In  a  successful  inva- 
sion of  Edom,  he  seized  the  capital  of  the  country.  Then, 
desirous  of  throwing  off  the  suzerainty  of  Israel,  he  sent 
King  Joash  a  challenge.  Joash,  in  a  parable,  ironically 
pointed  out  the  folly  of  such  a  challenge,  but  on  further 
provocation  accepted  it,  took  the  proud  king  prisoner,  de- 
stroyed part  of  the  wall  of  his  capital  and  carried  off  to 
his  own  capital  the  treasures  of  temple  and  palace. 

*  Besides,  Aram's  hands  were  tied  by  an  Assyrian  invasion. 
2  As  was  still  the  custom  in  Elijah's  time ;  cf .  9  :  26. 


24  :  16. 


218 


the  Historians  2  Kings  15:4 

He,  too,  like  his  father,  met  his  end  through  a  conspir-  Accession  of 
acy.    He  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Azariah/  who  renewed  trade^ 
the  trade  with  the  Red  Sea  by  fortifying  Elah,  which  ^^jj^^'^'^^^^g^ 
Edom  afterwards  recovered.'' 

26.   Jeroboam  II.,  King  of  Israel  (2  K.  14  :  23-29), 
781-740  B.  C. 

During  the  reign  of  Amaziah  over  Judah,  Joash's  son  Teroboam 
Jeroboam  H.  succeeded  to  the  throne  of  Israel.     He  de-israQ™^° 
parted  not  from  all  the  sins  of  Jeroboam  I.    In  the  course  ^^"^ "  ^^'^^^ 
of  his  long  reign,  he  extended  the  dominion  of  Israel  to  its 
ideal  borders,  according  to  the  word  of  Jonah.    For  Jeho- 
vah in  pity  for  Israel's  bitter  affliction  and  desolation  at 
the  hands  of  Aram  ^  saved  them  through  Jeroboam. 

27.  Azariah,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  15  :  1-7),  782-740 
B.  C. 

During  the  reign  of  Jeroboam  over  Israel.  Amaziah's  Uzziah, 
son,  Azariah,  succeeded  to  the  throne  of  Judah.    With  the  j^l^^ 
exception  of  the  worship  on  the  high  places,  which  was  (^5 :  1-7) 
still  maintained,  he  did  that  which  was  right  in  the  sight 
of  Jehovah.    In  the  course  of  his  long  reign  he  was  smitten 

*  Better  known  as  Uzziah  15  :  32,  2  Chr.  26  :  i. 

'In  16  :  6,  which  cannot  be  in  its  proper  place,  Edom  is  to  be  read  for 
Aram.  The  mistake  led  to  the  addition  in  that  passage,  of  Rezin's  name. 
Between  the  Hebrew  words  for  Aram  and  Edom  there  is  only  a  "  tittle  "  of 
diflFerence. 

3  Cf .  V.  28. 

219 


2  Kings  15:5  The  Messages  of 

with  leprosy,  and  therefore  had  to  dwell  apart.  Conse- 
quently the  government  was  in  the  hands  of  Jotham,  his 
son. 

28.  Zechariah,  King  of  Israel  (2  K.  15  :  8-12),  740  B.  C. 

Zechariah,        During  the  reign  of  Azariah  of  Judah,  Jeroboam's  son 

raef  °    ^     Zcchariah  succeeded  to  the  throne  of  Israel,  which  he  held 

(15  :  8-12)     Qj^jy  gjjj  months.     He  departed  not  from  the  sins  of  Jer- 

oboa?n,  and  was  slain  in  a  conspiracy  by  Shallum,  who 

succeeded  him.      Thus  Jehu's  dynasty  stood   until   the 

fourth  generation,  according  to  the  word  of  Jehovah.  ^ 


29.  Shallum,  King  of  Israel  (2  K.  15  :  13-15),  740  B.  C. 
Shallum,  Shallum  had  reigned  but  a  month  when  he  was  slain 

king  of  Is- 
rael 
(15:  13-15) 


raef  °    ^'    t>y  Mcuahem. 


30.  Metiahem,  King  of  Israel  (2  K.  15  :  16-22),  740-737 
B.  C. 

Menahem,        Mcnahetn  departed  not  from  the  sins  of  Jeroboam.  He 
rief  °    ^     secured  the  throne  only  after  much  cruelty  and  blood- 
(15: 16-22)    shed  and  maintained  it"  by  the  payment  of  a  ruinous  sub- 
sidy to  the  Assyrian  king,  who  was  now  turning  his  at- 
tention to  the  far  west. 

1  10  :  30. 

2  Hardly  so  long  as  ten  years :  probably  not  more  than  six,  and  possibly 
only  three  or  four. 

220 


the  Historians  2  Kings  16:3 

31.  Pekahiah,  King  of  Israel  (2  K.  15  :  23-26),  "jyj-iz^ 
B.  C. 

Menahem  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Pekahiah.  He  too  Pekahiah, 
departed  not  from  the  sins  of  Jeroboam.  After  a  reign  Jf^^f  °^  ^^" 
of  two  years  he  was  slain  in  a  conspiracy  by  Pekah,  who  (^5 :  23-26) 
succeeded  to  the  throne. 

32.  Pekah,  King  of  Israel  (2  K.  15  :  27,  28,  30,  31), 
736-733  B.  C. 

Pekah  departed  not  from  the  sins  of  Jeroboam,  and  he  Pekah,  king 
was  slain  in  a  conspiracy  after  a  reign  of  about  three  ^  (15  f  2^7^,  28, 
years,  by  Hoshea  (who  reigned  as  vassal  of  Assyria).'        3°,  31) 

33.   Jotham,  King  of  Judah   (2  K.  15  :  32-38),  740-736 
B.  C. 
During  Pekah's  reign  over  Israel,  Azariah's    son  Jo- Jotham, 
tham  succeeded  to  the  throne  of  Judah.      With  the  ex- 1"^^^  •^"' 
ception  of  the  worship  on  the  high  places,  which  was  ^^^ '  ^^'^^^ 
still  maintained,  he  did  that  which  was  right  in  the 
sight  of  Jehovah ;  and  he  built  the  upper  gate  of  the 
temple. 

34.  Ahaz,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  16),  736-725  B.  C. 
Jotham  was  succeded  by  his  son  Ahaz,  who  walked  in  Ahaz,  king 
the  way  of  the  kings  of  Israel,  and  offered  his  son  in  J'le :  f-4) 

1  Twenty  (v.  27)  is  inconsistent  with  the  Assyrian  inscriptions. 
'  This  is  the  effect  of  the  cause  related  in  16  :  5-9. 
221 


2  Kings  i6  : 3  The  Messages  of 

sacrifice  to  his  God,  after  the  manner  of  the  nations, 

which  Jehovah  drove  out,  and  worshipped  on  the  high 

places. 

He  appeals       (Taking  advantage  of  the  absence  of  the  Assyrian  king 

whfch^r?'    in  the  far  east)  Rezin,  king  of  Aram,  and  Pekah,  king  of 

duces  north-  jsj-^el  soueht  to  coerce  Ahaz  ^  into  common  action  against 

ern  Israel  '  »  ,  ,        .  ,,..,.  .     , 

and  Aram^  Assyria,  and  to  this  end  besieged  him  in  his  own  capital. 
(i6?5,  7-9  ;*  But  with  the  offer  of  a  heavy  tribute,  taken  from  the  treas- 
^^  ■  ""^^         ures  of  temple  and  palace,  he  appealed  to  the  Assyrian 
king,  who,  nothing  loath,  answered  with  an  army  which 
ravaged  the  district  of  Galilee,  captured  Damascus,  and 
carried  the  population  of  both  districts  away  to  the  far 
east. 
Ahaz's  altar      Seeing  an  altar  which  took  his  fancy,  while  in  Damas- 
(16 :  1016)    ^^^  ^^  ^^^^  j^jg  homage  to  Tiglath-pileser,  Ahaz  sent  to 
the  priest  Urijah  at  Jerusalem  a  pattern  of  it,  with  instruc- 
tions to  have  one  erected  by  his  return.^     It  was  set  up  in 
the  place  of  the  old  altar,  and  on  it  were  offered  the  public, 
private,  and  royal  sacrifices. 
Heavy  trib-      Besides  making  other   changes   in   the    temple,  Ahaz 
me  to  Assy-  ^^^  appropriated  some  of  the  temple  vessels  in  order  to 
(16 :  17-20)    secure  money  for  the  payment  of  tribute  to  Assyria. 

1  Cf.  15  :  37  which  puts  the  matter  theologically. 

'  This  was  probably  intended  as  a  compliment  to  Assyria. 


222 


the  Historians  2  Kings  17  :  20 

35.  Hoshea,  King  of  Israel,  and  the  Fall  of  the  Northern 
Kingdom  (2  K.  17  :  1-6  ;  18  :  9-12),  733-721  B.  C. 

During  the  reign  of  Ahaz  over  Judah,  Hoshea  sue-  Hoshea:  the 
ceeded  to  the  throne  of  Israel,  and  he  did  that  which  was  rk  anith?" 
evil  in  the  sight  of  Jehovah,  but  not  like  his  predecessors.  JJJ^^gf  ^^  °^ 
The  king  of  Assyria,  discovering  that  he  had  thrown  off  (17 :  1-6  and 
his  allegiance,  and  was  seeking  the  support  of  Egypt,  capt- 
ured him,  took  his  capital,  Samaria,  after  a  siege  of  three 
years,'  and  carried  a  large  portion  of  the  population  away 
to  Assyria,  because  they  obeyed  not  the  voice  of  Jehovah 
their  God,  but  transgressed  his  covenant,  even  all  that 
Moses  commanded. 

^6.  Three  Lessons  of  the  Fall  (2  K.  17  :  7-23,  34b-4o)  First  lesson: 

a  punish- 

The  exile  was  the  divine  punishment  seiit  upon  Israel ^^^y[^°^^l^' 
in  accordance  with  the  words  of  the  prophets,  because  yersity 

•^  ■*      "^  (17 :  18,  21- 

they  had  walked  in  all  the  sins  of  Jeroboam.  23) 

Many  atid  divers  had  been  their  sins.     Forgetful  of  the  gracious  Second  les- 
God  of  the  olden  days,  they  had  adopted  the  idolatrous  worship  ^/"^"^ "  S     '^^' 
the  heathen  on  the  high  places,  turned  deaf  ears  to  the  warnings  of  sistent  idol- 
the  prophets,  and  abandoned  thetnselves  to  image-worship,  star-wor-  ^^^^ 
ship,  Baal-worship,  sorcery,  even  to  human  sacrifice,     jfudah  also  ig,  20) 
had  followed  only  too  surely  in  the  footsteps  of  Israel.     Therefore 
Jehovah  cast  them  out  of  his  sight. 

With  their  old  perversity,  they  did  not  fear  their  own  God,  and 

'  The  siege  was  begun  by  Shalmaneser  IV. ;  but  the  city  was  taken  by 
his  great  general  and  successor,  Sargon,  in  721  B.  C. 
223 


2_Kings  17:34  The  Messages  of 

Third  les-  they  would  not  obey  his  written  word  which  promised  them  de- 
son:  the  liverance  from  all  their  enemies,  if  they  would  fear  him  only — 
consequence    ,.  .,,,  ,•  ,, 

of  deliberate  their  gracious  Jehovah— and  give  no  heed  to  other  gods, 
disobedience 

(17 .  34''-4o)  ^^^   ^^^  Za/^r  History  of  Samaria  (2  K.  17  :  24-34*,  41) 

The  origin        To  repeople  the  partly  depopulated  cities  of  Samaria, 

Samaritans  ^^  ^^"^S  ^^  Assyria  sent  colonists  from  Babylon  and  else- 

(17 :  24-28,    where.     But  they  did  not  know  how  to  worship  Jehovah, 

the  God  of  their  new  country,  and  their  ignorance  cost 

them  some  lives,  which  fell  a  prey  to  the  ravages  of  lions 

sent  by  Jehovah.     So  a  priest  was  brought  back  from  the 

deported  population  of  Israel,  to  teach  them  the  religion 

of  Jehovah.      Thus   they  learned  to  worship    Jehovah 

without  abandoni7ig  their  native  worship. 

The  Samari-      Alongside  of  the  Jehovah  worship  they  maintained,  and  to  this 

tan  cult  (17  :  ^^  maintain,  their  old  ancestral  worship  and  practices  upon  the 

high  places  on  which  the  former  inhabitants  worshipped. 


XII 

TO   THE    CAPTIVITY    OF    JUDAH    (2    Kings  18  tO  25) 

I.    The  Events  of  HezekiaKs  Reign  (2  K.  18  to  20),  725- 
696  B.  C. 

Hezekiah's       During  the  reign  of  Hoshea  over  Israel,  Ahaz's  son 
(i8°rr-8r°  Hezekiah  succeeded  to  the  throne  of  Judah  ;  and  he  did 
that  which  was  right  in  the  eyes  of  Jehovah,  according 
224 


the  Historians  2  Kings  18  :  22 

to  all  that  David  his  father  had  done.     He  1  emoved  the 
high  places,^  and  abolished  all  forms  of  image  worship, 
even  such  as  had  venerable  sanction,  like  the  brazen  ser- 
pent.   Never  was  a  king  of  Judah  like  him.    He  trusted 
in  Jehovah,  was  faithful  to  him,  and  was  prospered  by 
him  wherever  he  went.     Thus,  he  threw  off  his  allegiance 
to  the  Assyrian  king,  and  he  also  conquered  the  Philistine 
city  of  Gaza. 
Sennache-        Sennacherib  advanced  against  the  rebellious  Judah,  and 
camp^fln^'^"  captured  all  her  walled  cities.     In  alarm  for  the  capital, 
(18 :  13-16)    Hezekiah  secured  immunity  from  attack  by  humbly  offer- 
ing a  very  heavy  tribute,  for  which  not  only  the  palace  but 
even  the  temple  had  to  be  stripped. 

Judah's             But    on    second  thoughts   Sen-  Sennacherib  sent  an  in- 

ifto  if-  37)  ''^''^^"^  determined  not  to  lose  his  golent  letter  to   Hezekiah. 

hold  on  so  important  a  fortress  as  ^  •  *•           wi 

Jl      ,        -  ...  pomtmg  out  the 

Jerusalem.      He  therefore  sent  a  (19  '•  Q^-^q)  . 

small  detachment  of  his  army  to  .                   ^^"j'  °^  depend- 

The  Rab-      secure  its  surrender.      One  of  his  ^"S  "PO^  the  promises  of 

shakeh's  in-  j^jgj^  officers,  the  Rabshakeh,  in  an  his  God  against  so  resist- 
solent  de-        .   *'  ,            ,  ,                         .       ^' 

mand  (18  :     insolent  address  to  certain  of  Heze-  less  a  foe  as  the  Assyrians, 

17-25)            kiah's  officials,  pointed  out  the  folly  against  whom  not  a  single 

of  depending  either  upon  man  or  ,    ,  ^,  x-      u   j 

,    .    J'   ,      „      *^  ,  god  of  any  other  nation  had 

upon  their  God.     Egypt  was  but  a 

broken  reed.     And  as  for  Jehovah       ^^^^  ^^^^  t°  ^^^^  those  who 

—how  could  Hezekiah  expect  any       had  trusted  in  them.    Now 

deliverance  from  him,  when  he  had       Hezekiah  spread  the  letter 

1  If,  however,  18  :  22  is  original,  then  this  will  have  been  part  of  Heze- 
kiah's  reform,  which  Kittel  thinks  possible. 
225 


2  Kings  i8  :23 


The  Messages  of 


His  taunt 
(i8  :  26-37) 


lately  robbed  him  of  all  his  seats  of 
worship  but  one  ?  What  match  was 
the  Israelite  cavalry  for  the  Assy- 
rian ?  Besides,  the  Assyrian  inva- 
sion had  the  direct  sanction  of  Je- 
hovah. 

Hezekiah's  officials  asked  the 
Rabshakeh  to  speak  in  Aramaic, 
because  it  was  unfamiliar  to  the 
Jews  who  manned  the  walls.  With 
a  coarse  threat  he  refused,  and 
went  on,  as  before,  in  Hebrew,  to 
intimidate  the  people  into  disbelief 
in  Hezekiah  and  in  his  assurance  of 
victory  through  Jehovah.  Submis- 
sion, he  said,  would  mean  comfort 
—first  in  their  own  land,  and  then 
in  the  better  land  to  which  he 
would  take  them.  Nothing  was 
more  ridiculous  than  to  believe  in 
their  God.  Had  the  gods  of  other 
nations  —  Aram,  for  example  — 
saved  those  who  fondly  trusted 
them,  from  Assyria's  strong  arm  ? 
No  more  would  Jehovah  save  Jeru- 
salem. 


before  Jehovah  in  his  tem- 
ple, and  earnestly  prayed 
him  to  rebuke  the  blasphe- 
mous insolence  of  Sen- 
nacherib. In  very  truth,  he 
was  the  God  of  all — the  liv- 
ing and  the  only  God  :  the 
gods  of  whose  destruction 
the  Assyrians  boasted  were 
no  gods.  Let  Jehovah  but 
interpose,  he  prayed,  to 
save  his  people,  and  the  de- 
liverance would  convince 
the  world  that  he  was  the 
only  God. 

Then   Isaiah  sent  Heze- 
kiah the  message  that  his 

prayer  had  been 
(19:  20,  32- 

35)        heard.  1     He  as- 
sured him  in  the 
name  of   Jehovah    that    it 
would  not  come  to  a  siege  ; 


1  Here  are  interpolated  two  oracles,  a  taunt  song  (21-28)  in  verse,  and  a 
sign  (29-31)  in  prose.     The  following  is  the  substance  of  the  song: 

With  scornful  laughter  Zion's  daughter  greets  thee, 
Thee  who  hast  blasphemed  Israel's  holy  God. 
Proudly  thou  boastest  no  land  can  resist  thee : 
Though  all  the  while  thou  art  but  Jahweh's  tool. 
Working  his  ancient  purpose  on  the  nations. 
226 


the  Historians 


2  Kings  20  :  6 


Isaiah's  con-      In  dire  distress,  the  king  sent  his 
fident  proph-  sorrowful    officials    to    Isaiah    the 
nacherib '      prophet,  with  the  request  that  he 
retires ;  and    would  intercede  with  his  God  :  per- 
sfvedii™-'^  chance  he  would  hearken  to  him. 
1.9a,  36,  37)   Nor  was  he  disappointed.     In  the 
name  of  Jehovah,  Isaiah  bade  them 
not  fear  the  blasphemous  words  of 
Assyria :   the  king  would  hear  a 
rumor  which  would  cause  him  to 
return  to  his  own  land,  and  there 
he  would  be  slain.    And  so  it  came 
to  pass  :  for  at  the  rumor  of  the  ap- 
proach of  the  Ethiopian  king,  he 
departed    from    Libnah  which    he 
was  besieging  and  returned  toNine- 
veh,  where  he  was  slain  by  his  sons. 


for  the  Assyrian  king  would 
return  by  the  way  that  he 
came.  Jehovah  would  defend 
the  city  /or  his  o'W7i  and  Da  vid''s 
sake.  And  so  it  came  to 
pass  :  for  (by  a  pestilence) 
the  angel  of  Jehovah  slew 
great  numbers  of  his  army 
(and  he  retired  to  his  own 
land). 


Hezekiah's       Hezekiah,  sick  unto  death,  sought  Jehovah  with  tears 


recovery 
(20  :  i-ii) 


sickness  and  ^^  remember  the  sincerity  of  his  past,  and  dehver  him. 
For  answer,  the  prophet  Isaiah  brought  a  message  from 
Jehovah  that  in  three  days  he  would  recover,  and  that  his 
life  would  be  lengthened  by  fifteen  years  ;  and  it  was  so. 
By  the  application  of  figs,  the  boil  was  healed  and  he  re- 
Yea,  all  thy  doings  are  before  mine  eyes, 
And  for  thy  rage  and  insolence  I'll  tame  thee — 
Hook  in  thy  nose  and  bridle  in  thy  lips — 
And  bring  thee  back  the  very  way  thou  camest. 

And  this  shall  be  the  sign  :  After  two  years  of  devastated  fields,  in  the 
third  ye  shall  sow  and  reap  and  eat ;  and  the  Jews  that  are  left  in  Jerusalem 
shall  again  strike  root  and  bear  new  fruit.  The  zeal  of  Jehovah  shall  accom- 
phsh  this. 

227 


2  Kings  20  :  7 


The  Messages  of 


Babylonian 
embassy ; 
Isaiah's 
prophecy 
(20  :  12-19) 


Hezekiah's 
building 
operations 
(20  :  20,  21) 


covered.  To  reassure  Hezekiah's  faith  in  his  speedy  recovery, 
Isaiah,  in  the  name  of  Jehovah,  gave  him  his  choice  of  a  sign;  and 
the  sign  came  to  pass.i 

Merodach  Baladan,  king  of  Babylon,  sent  an  embassy 
to  Hezekiah  to  congratulate  him  on  his  recovery  ; '  and 
Hezekiah  showed  them  his  numerous  treasures.  Then 
Isaiah  seized  the  occasion  to  prophesy,  in  the  name  of 
Jehovah,  that  all  those  treasures  would  one  day  be  carried  away 
to  Babylon  and  that  some  of  the  Judaean  princes  would  one  day 
be  eunuchs  of  the  Babylonian  king.^  These  Stern  words 
Hezekiah  listened  to  with  resignation,  in  the  assurance 
that  there  would  be  peace  so  long  as  he  lived. 

Hezekiah  built  the  pool  of  Siloam  and  by  a  subterranean 
conduit  *  secured  for  Jerusalem  a  water-supply  unassail- 
able in  war. 

1  The  sign  is  here  belated,  as  the  recovery  is  already  a  fact  (v.  7).  In 
Isa.  38  :  7  it  is  simply  a  miraculous  sign  ;  here,  by  the  choice,  the  miracle  is 
enhanced. 

2  Ostensibly ;  but  in  reality,  doubtless,  to  solicit  Judah's  aid  in  a  revolt 
from  Assyria. 

3  In  this  form,  the  prophecy  could  hardly  be  original.  With  the  substitu- 
tion, however,  of  Assyrian  for  Babylonian,  we  may  have  an  approximation 
to  the  original  prophecy. 

*  From  this  tunnel  is  supposed  to  come  the  famous  inscription  discovered 
in  1880,  though  both  tunnel  and  inscription  might  be  a  little  earlier  (of.  Isa. 
8:6). 


228 


the  Historians  2  Kings  21  126 


2.  Manasseh,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  21  :  1-18),  696-641 

B.C. 

Hezekiah  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Manasseh,  who  did  Manasseh  oi 
hideous  evil  in  the  sight  of  Jehovah.     He   undid   hisjdoiatry   '^ 
father's  reformation,  adopting,  as  did  Ahab,  the  Baal  ^^^  •  ^"9) 
worship  with  its  heathen  symbols,  and  star  worship — even 
building  altars  to  the  heavenly  bodies  in  the  temple  courts  ^ 
of  Jerusalem,  the  city  chosen  of  Jehovah.     He  sacrificed 
his  son,  dealt  in  sorcery,  and  through  his  idolatry  led  the  people 
into  hideous  disobedience  to  Jehovah's  ancient  laws,  which  if  obeyed 
wotdd  have  saved  them  from  exile. 

Prophetic  voices  were  lifted  up  in  protest.     This  fearful  Prophetic 

iniquity,  they  said,    would  involve  Jerusalem  and  Judah  in  fear-  fhreafof"^ 
ful  doom — even  the  relentless  doom  of  Samaria  and  the  dynasty  of  ^'^^'^ 
Ahab  :  spoliation,  exile,  abandonment.     But  those  honest  VOiceS 

were  stifled  by  cruel  persecution. 

3.  Amon,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  21  :  19-26),  641-639  B.  C. 

Manasseh  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Amon,  who  did  Amon  oi 
that  which  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  Jehovah,  like  his  {^^^^  26) 
father  Manasseh,  and  walked  in  his  idolatrous  ways. 
So  he  was  slain  in  a  conspiracy  by  his  servants,  who  were 
in  their  turn  promptly  slain  by  the  people. 

*  In  the  two  courts  a  post-exilic  hand  is  evident.  There  was  strictly  only 
one  court  in  Solomon's  temple  ;  the  "  other  "  is  the  palace  court,  i  K.  7  :  8, 
cf.  2  Chr.  4  :  9. 

229 


2  Kings  22  :  i  The  Messages  of 


4.  Josiah,  King  of  Judak  (2  K.  22  :  i  to  23  :  30),  639-608 
B.C. 

Josiah  of  Amon  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Josiah,  who  ascended 

finding' of^^  the  throne  in  his  eighth  year.  He  did  that  which  was 
the  book  of  ^{g^f  (fi  fjie  sight  of  Jehovah,  as  did  David,  setting  him- 
(22)  self  in  his  eighteenth  year  to  restore  the  temple,  which  (in 

the  last  two  reigns)  had  fallen  into  disgrace  and  disrepair. 
In  the  course  of  the  repairs  a  momentous  discovery  was 
made,  no  less  than  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy,^  found  by 
Hilkiah  the  priest.  As  the  king  reflected  on  the  people's 
disobedience  to  its  statutes,  and  read  the  threats  pro- 
nounced thereon,  he  hastened,  in  sorrow  and  fear,  to  con- 
sult the  will  of  Jehovah.  Huldah  the  prophetess,  to  whom 
his  messengers  went  for  counsel,  answered  in  the  name  of 
Jehovah  that  the  threats  of  the  book  would  assuredly  be  fulfilled 
upon  city  and  people,  for  against  their  idolatry  and  apostasy  Jeho- 
vah's unqzietichable  anger  would  be  kindled ;  but  fosiah,  for  his 
tenderness  of  heart,  would  be  spared  the  impending  doo?n. 

Josiah's  ref-      The  moment  was   critical ;  so  the  king  gathered  the 
and  passover  pcople  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem  together  ^ — priests,  proph- 
^4? 25' 15-23) ^ts,  elders,  all;   and  king  and  people  solemnly  pledged 
themselves  to  a  covenant  with  Jehovah  on  the  basis  of  the 
book.     Proceeding  at  once  to  a  radical  reform  of  the  wor- 
ship, he  cleansed  the  temple  of  all  the  vessels  that  had 

»  At  least,  the  legal  part  :  cf.  pp.  87,  88. 

'  Some  suppose  that  Josiah  seized  the  opportunity  of  the  passover  to 
gather  the  people  together  (21-23). 

230 


the  Historians  2  Kings  23  :  21 

been  used  in  the  worship  of  Baal,  Ashtoreth,^  and  the 
heavenly  bodies,  tore  down  the  haunts  ^  of  the  immoral 
worship  of  Jehovah,  and  abolished  the  idolatrous  priest- 
hood of  the  high  places,  allowing  the  priests,  however,  to 
share,  if  not  in  the  service,  yet  in  the  revenues  of  the  Jeru- 
salem priests.  He  did  away  with  the  human  sacrifices 
offered  to  Jehovah  as  king,^  and  destroyed  all  traces  of 
the  sun  worship  in  which  his  predecessors  had  indulged, 
and  of  the  idolatrous  worship  of  Solomon.  He  also  abol- 
ished sorcery  of  all  sorts  in  accordance  with  the  injunctions 
of  the  newly  discovered  book,''  and  there  was  no  king  like 
him.  He  destroyed  Jeroboam's  famous  sanctuary  and 
altar  at  Bethel.  The  bones  of  the  calf-worshippers  he  took  out  of 
their  tombs  and  burnt  upon  the  altar,  but  he  spared  the  tomb 
of  the  prophet  who  had  foretold  the  destruction  of  the  altar  at 

Bethel^  Similarly  stern  measures  he  adopted  toward  all 
centres  of  the  idolatrous  worship.  Then  in  accordance 
with  the  injunctions  of  the  Book  of  the  Covenant,^  he  cel- 

1  The  same  word  (askerah)  as  is  used  in  v.  6  to  signify  the  idolatrous 
wooden  pole.  Here  (v.  4)  it  seems  to  be  used  to  signify  a  goddess,  though 
the  existence  of  a  goddess  Asherah  is  disputed.  It  may  be  due  either  to 
a  misunderstanding  of  asherah  in  its  ordinary  sense,  or  to  confusion  with 
Ashtoreth. 

2  Or — by  a  conjectural  reading — garments  for  the  immoral  worship  (v.  7). 

3  The  consonants,  m  1  k  are  those  of  the  word  "  king,"  a  title  of  Jehovah. 
The  vowels  molek  are  intended  to  suggest  the  word  bosheth,  shame  :  of.  p. 
162.  *Dt.  18:  ir.  s  I  K.  13. 

•  Such  is  now  properly  its  name  after  the  covenant  has  been  made,  v.  3 ; 
to  be  distinguished  from  the  older  book  (Ex.  20  :  22  to  23  :  33)  of  the  same 
name  (Ex.  24  :  7). 

231 


2  Kings  23  :  22  The  Messages  of 

ebrated  in  Jerusalem  a  great  passover  festival,  the  like  of 
which  had  never  been  held  before. 

The  doom  of      But  the  reformation  of  yosiah  could  not  wipe  out  the  crimes  of 
>hf  ^  '"^^'  ■^^^^'2'jjM.      They  remained  still  unatoned,  and  for  them  jferusalem 
(23  :  26-28)     the  chosen  must  be  rejected,  and  fudah  must  go  i?ito  exile  like  Israel 
before  her. 

The  death  of     At  last  Josiah  was  slain  in  battle  on  the  plain  of  Jezreel, 

/2°3T29,  30)  fi?h^^"g '  against  Pharaoh  Necho  of  Egypt,  who  had  taken 

advantage   of    the    approaching  collapse  of  Assyria  to 

march  north  with  intent  to  wrest  her  western  empire 

from  her. 

5.  Jehoahaz,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  23  :  31-34),  608  B.  C. 

Jehoahaz  of  Josiah  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Jehoahaz,  who  did  that 
{^tf^^x.-xi.)  "^hich  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  Jehovah.  He  was  taken 
as  Pharaoh's  prisoner  to  Egypt,  where  he  died.''  His  land 
was  put  under  tribute,  and  his  brother  Eliakim  was  set 
on  the  throne  by  Pharaoh,  who  changed  his  name  ^  to  Je- 
hoiakim. 

6.  Jehoiakim,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  23  :  35  to  24  :  7), 

608-597  B.  C. 

To  secure  tribute  for  his  Egyptian  lord,  the  new  king 
had  to  assess  his  people  according  to  the  value  of  their 

1  Either  as  vassal  of  Assyria,  or  perhaps  on  his  own  account. 
'  Cf.  Jer.  22  :  10-12. 

5  To  mark  him  as  his  vassal?    Cf.  24  :  17. 
232 


tJic  Historians  2  Kings  24  :  17 

land.  He  did  that  which  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  jfehovah.  Jehoiakim 
When  Nebuchadrezzar,  king  of  Babylon,  broke  the  power  his  i^bei- ' 
of  Egypt,  Jehoiakim  voluntarily  tendered  his  submission,  s^o^'of"^^' 
But  in  three  years  he  rebelled  ;  and  Tudah  was  invaded  Judah  (23 : 

35  to  24  :  7) 

by  bands  of  peoples  both  near  and  far  in  accordance  with 

yehovah's  fateful  purpose  proclaimed  by  the  prophets.  Despite 
her  initial  success  against  them,  Judah  was  swiftly  hastening 
to  the  doom  of  exile,  in  chastisement  for  the  sins  of  Manas s eh  and 
for  the  innocent  blood  that  he  had  shed. 

7.    Jehoiachin,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  24  :  8-16),  597  B.  C. 

Jehoiakim  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Jehoiachin,  w/^^  a?/^  Jehoiachin 

that  which  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  Jehovah.      (In  consequence  first  depor- 

of  his  father's  revolt),  a  Babylonian  army  laid  siege  to  J^^^^s-ie) 
Jerusalem.  After  a  reign  of  three  months,  Jehoiachin 
with  his  court  surrendered,  and  they  were  carried  away  to 
Babylon,  along  with  seven  thousand  trained  warriors,  one 
thousand  artisans,  and  the  most  prominent  of  his  subjects, 
with  vessels  and  treasures  of  temple  and  palace.^ 

8.  Zedekiah,  King  of  Judah  (2  K.  24  :  17  to  25  :  21), 
597-586  B.  C. 

On  the  throne  of  Judah  Nebuchadrezzar  set  Jehoiachin's  Zedekiah 
uncle,  a  son  of  Josiah,  changing  his  name  from  Mattaniah  f^^^^^^^^-) 

*  Vv.  13,  14  are  a  later  parallel  to  15,  16,  more  interested  in  the  temple, 
but  not  wholly  unhistorical  (cf.  Jer.  27  :  18-22),  though  the  numbers  are 
higher. 


2  Kings  24  :  19 


The  Messages  of 


Zedekiah's 
rebellion ; 
the  fall  of 
Jerusalem; 
second  de- 
portation 
(24  :  20b 
to  25  :  21) 


to  Zedekiah.  He  did  that  which  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  yeho- 
vah,  his  wickedness  being  the  penalty  that  Jehovah  in  his  wrath 
sent  upon  Judah,  to  prepare  the  way  for  exile. 

Zedekiah  rebelled.  Nebuchadrezzar  with  a  great  army 
came  to  reduce  the  capital.  Siege  and  famine  did  their 
worst ;  and  in  a  year  and  a  half  the  city  fell.  The  king 
and  his  warriors  fled.  The  king  was  taken  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Jericho.  His  sons  were  slain  before  his  eyes. 
Then  he  was  blinded  and  carried  to  Babylon.  A  month 
afterward  the  city  was  set  on  fire.  Temple,  palaces, 
houses,  one  and  all,  were  burned  and  the  walls  levelled 
with  the  ground.  All  but  the  poor  were  carried  into  cap- 
tivity, and  with  the  captives  went  the  numerous  and  costly 
vessels  of  the  temple.  Prominent  priests  and  other  ofifi- 
cials  were  taken  to  Riblah  on  the  Orontes,  and  executed. 
Thus  did  the  exile  of  Judah  become  a  fact. 


Gedaliah, 
governor 
of  Judah,  as- 
sassinated 
(25  :  22-26) 


9.  Gedaliah,  Governor  of  Judah  (2  K.  25  :  22-26) 

Over  those  who  were  left  in  the  land,  Nebuchadrezzar 
astutely  appointed  a  native  governor,  Gedaliah,  who  *  was 
convinced  that  safety  lay  in  submission  to  the  Babylonians. 
But  in  a  short  time  he  and  his  supporters  were  slain  in  a 
conspiracy  by  Ishmael,  a  Jewish  prince.  In  fear  of  Baby- 
lonian vengeance,  the  people  fled  to  the  ever  ambiguous 
and  futile  friendship  of  Egypt. 


Like  Jeremiah. 


the  Historians  2  Kings  25  :  30 


10.    JehoiachifCs  Elevation  (2  K.  25  :  27-30),  561  B.  C. 

The  advent  of  Nebuchadrezzar's  successor,  Evil-mero-  Jehoiachin's 
dach,  in  561  B.  C.  marked  a  new  attitude  toward  the  Jews,  (25T27°-3o) 
and  was,  as  it  were,  the  harbinger  of  the  return.  After 
thirty-seven  years  of  captivity,  King  Jehoiachin  was  ac- 
corded the  first  place  among  the  captive  kings  at  court, 
and  continued  to  receive  marks  of  royal  favor  as  long  as 
he  lived. 


235 


THE  PRIESTLY   HISTORIANS 


THE    PRIESTLY    HISTORIANS 


THE    PRIESTLY    NARRATIVE    OF    THE    HEXATEUCH 

The  hope  of  the  Hebrews  was  hard  to  slay.  They  took  An  impetus 
with  them  into  exile  prophetic  assurances  that  they  would  fJIiTto^hV 
be  brought  back  again  to  their  own  land,  and  they  had  uai^Jj-actice 
those  assurances  repeated  and  confirmed  by  other  proph- 
ets in  the  exile.     So  real  was  that  hope  that  long  before 
the  exile  was  half  over,  Ezekiel  ^  drew  up  a  programme  of 
worship,  resting  doubtless  upon  past  usage,  for  the  guid- 
ance of  the  restored  community.    Here  we  see  not  indeed 
the  rise,  but  the  growing  prominence  of  priestly  interests. 
The  people  could  no  longer  be  a  nation ;  they  determined 
to  be  a  church.     For  good  and  for  evil,  the  place  once 
taken  by  the  prophet  in  the  guidance  of  life  was  now  taken 
by  the  priest. 

The  impulse  thus  given  by  memory  and  hope  to  the  That  study 
study  and  elaboration  of  the  law  naturally  received  fresh  Tge/by^he 
strength  when  the  return  from  exile  was  actually  con-  hSory  a^fter 
summated  and  worship  begun.     In  course  of  time  it  gave  the  return 

1  40  to  48. 

239 


Priestly  History  The  Messages  of 

rise  to  a  great  body  of  legal  literature— all  of  the  Hexa- 
teuch  that  is  left  after  deducting  the  prophetic  strata,  and 
the  Book  of  Deuteronomy  which  is,  in  the  main,  also  legis- 
iation.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  all  this  part  of  the 
Hexateuch  is,  in  its  present  form,  post-exilic.  It  im- 
proves upon  Deuteronomy  ^  in  sharply  distinguishing,  as 
Deuteronomy  fails  to  distinguish,  between  priests  and 
Levites ;  its  statutes  which  are  to  be  "  everlasting,"  in  some 
cases  contradict  Ezekiel's  programme,  and  must  therefore 
be  later  than  that ;  and  it  implies  a  view  of  the  impor- 
tance and  origin  of  ritual  which  is  not  only  not  held,  but 
is  in  some  cases  almost  in  express  terms  repudiated  by 
pre-exilic  prophets. 
It  expressed  Now  this  great  body  of  legal  literature  has  come  down 
effort  W^^  to  us  in  the  main  in  historical  form.  The  laws  are  con- 
write  the      nected  with  the  revelation  on  Sinai,  and  introduced  by  the 

history  of  •' 

the  origin  of  phrase  "Jehovah  spake  unto  Moses,  saying."  This  quasi- 
racy  ^°^  historical  spirit  took  one  step  further  and  created  a 
priestly  account  of  Israel's  early  history  down  to  the  con- 
quest ;  but  the  extremely  meagre  notices  of  both  the  pre- 
Mosaic  and  the  post-Mosaic  age,  coupled  with  the  aston- 
ishing and  altogether  disproportionate  copiousness  of  the 

J  So  Deuteronomy  shows  familiarity  with  the  prophetic  history  (JE)  but 
not  with  the  priestly,  which  would  be  strange  if  it  were  already  in  existence. 
Dt.  (i  :  24)  like  JE  (Num.  13  :  23)  only  sends  the  spies  to  Eshcol  in  S, 
Canaan;  P  (Num.  13  :  21)  sends  them  to  the  extreme  north.  So  Dt.  (11  :  6) 
like  JE  (Num.  16)  knows  only  of  the  rebellion  of  Dathan  and  Abiram. 
Korah  is  peculiar  to  P. 

240 


the  Historians  Priestly  History 

description  of  the  legislation  of  Moses,  make  it  quite  cer- 
tain that  for  the  author  legislation  was  the  chief  thing. 
In  other  words  the  narrative  does  not  even  purport  to 
be  a  history  of  Israel,  but  rather  of  the  origin  of  Israel's 
religious  institutions,  which  for  the  post-exilic  age  were 
almost  the  all  in  all. 

It  is  only  with  the  distinctly  narrative  elements  that  we  But  the  in- 
are  here  called  upon  to  deal ;  and  to  appreciate  them  truly  priStiy  nar^ 
we  must  remember  the  spirit  in  which  they  were  written,  J^V^^^  ^^^^1°* 
and  not  seek  from  them  more  than  they  were  intended  to  torical 
give.  History  they  are  not ;  for  that  we  look  elsewhere. 
There  is  nothing  of  that  romantic  element  which  invests 
the  prophetic  narratives  of  the  Hexateuch  with  such 
charm.  Consider  how  bald,  as  history,  would  be  the 
statement  of  Genesis  19  :  29  which  is  all  that  the  priestly 
narrative  tells  us  of  the  tragedy  of  Sodom,  "  when  God 
destroyed  the  cities  of  the  Jordan  circle,  God  remembered 
Abraham,  and  sent  Lot  out  of  the  midst  of  the  overthrow, 
when  he  overthrew  the  cities  in  which  Lot  dwelt."  When 
the  priestly  narrative  is  historically  the  most  improbable,  it 
will  usually  be  found  that  there  is  a  legislative  element 
not  only  latent,  but  explicit.  The  most  notable  illustra- 
tion of  this  is  the  story  of  the  war  with  Midian  in  Num- 
bers 31,  where  the  extravagance  of  the  detail  is  admitted 
by  Dillmann  to  deviate  so  seriously  from  historical  prob- 
ability that  the  fact  must  have  been  for  the  author  second- 
ary in  importance  to  the  law  governing  the  distribution  of 
241 


Priestly  History  The  Messages  of 

booty,  which  he  links  with  the  fact.^  There  are  passages 
even  in  the  patriarchal  stories  where  this  author  aban- 
dons his  brief,  dry  notices  for  a  detailed  story ;  but  these 
very  occasions  are  significant  of  his  temper  and  attitude. 
An  example  is  the  story  of  the  covenant  with  Abraham 
(Gen.  17).  Repeated  emphasis  is  laid  on  the  "  everlast- 
ing covenant"  which  has  so  much  more  pictorial  a  setting 
in  the  corresponding  Jehovistic  story  of  Genesis  1 5  ;  but 
the  significant  thing  is  that  here  the  covenant  is  indissol- 
ubly  linked  with  circumcision,  one  of  the  "  signs  "  of  the 
peculiar  people.  The  chapter  might  as  fittingly  be  en- 
titled "  The  law  of  circumcision  "  as  "  The  covenant  with 
Abraham."  Similarly  the  story  of  Abraham's  purchase 
of  the  cave  of  Machpelah  is  told  with  an  unusual  wealth 
of  interesting  detail,  in  order  to  prove  Abraham's  title  to 
a  lot  in  the  land  which  was  afterwards  to  be  the  posses- 
sion of  the  theocratic  people. 
It  idealizes  Considering  the  brevity  of  the  priestly  pre-Mosaic  his- 
ignorin^g  S  ^'^''7'  i^  would  perhaps  not  be  fair  to  deduce  much  from 
scandal  jtg  silence,  especially  as  there  are  indications  that  the  nar- 
rative must  once  have  been  longer  than  it  now  is  in  the 
completed  Hexateuch.  But  it  is  not  without  interest,  and 
may  not  be  without  significance,  that  it  ignores  all  scandal 
in  the  patriarchal  narratives,  just  as  we  have  seen  that 
the  Elohistic  document  often  endeavored  to  soften  mor- 

1  Num.  31  :  27  (see  p.  161).    See  also  the  budding  of  Aaron's  rod,  Num. 
17. 

242 


tJic  Historians  Priestly  History 

ally  objectionable  traits  or  to  give  them  a  different  turn. 
While,  for  instance,  the  priestly  narrator  has  nothing  to 
say  of  the  expulsion  of  Hagar  and  Ishmael,  it  is  he  who 
tells  us  that  Isaac  and  Ishmael  buried  their  father/  More 
striking  still  is  his  treatment  of  the  departure  of  Jacob  for 
Mesopotamia,  which  in  this  document  is  called  Paddan- 
aram.  Here  Jacob  is  not  fleeing  from  the  vengeance  of 
the  brother  whom  he  has  deceived,  but  is  sent  by  Isaac 
to  take  a  wife  of  his  own  kinsfolk.^  It  is  of  a  piece  with 
this  that  on  Jacob's  return  he  and  Esau  only  separate 
"  because  their  substance  was  too  great  for  them  to  dwell 
together."  ^ 

There  is  no  place,  of  course,  for  distinctively  priestly  in-  Marked 
terests  until  the  legislation  is  reached  ;  but  how  predom-  of^^Sy^ 
inant  those  interests  were  for  the  author  of  the  priestly  e"'^en"n%rdi- 
narrative  may  be  most  strikingly  seen  by  a  comparison  nary  narra- 
of  allusions  or  incidents  related  here  with  their  parallels 
in  the  earlier  prophetic  histories.     Aaron,  for  instance,  is 
very  prominent  in  the  story  of  the  plagues.     In  the  Elo- 
histic  document,  they  come  when   Moses   stretches   out 
his  hand  or  his  rod  at  the  command  of  Jehovah  ;  *  in  the 
priestly   narrative,   Jehovah   says   to   Moses,   "Say  unto  • 

Aaron,  '  stretch  forth  thy  hand  '  or  '  thy  rod.'  "  ^  In  the 
older  story  of  the  conquest,  it  is  Joshua  who  apportions 
the   land  ; '  in  the  priestly   story,  he  is  not  only  associ- 

1  Gen.  25  :  9.  2  Gen.  28  :  1-9.  ^  Gen.  36  :  7. 

4  Ex.  9  :  22  ;   10  :  12,  21.  ^  Ex.  8  :  5,  16.  ^  Josh.  18  :  10. 

243 


Priestly  History  The  Messages  of 

ated  with  Eleazar  the  priest,  but  is  named  after  him.^    On 
a  greater  scale,  nothing  is  so  instructive  as  a  comparison 
of  the  secular  rebellion  of  Dathan  and  Abiram   in  the 
prophetic  narrative  with  the  religious  rebellion  of  Korah 
in  the  priestly  narrative  (Num.   i6,  17),  which  even  of- 
fers two  versions  of  that  rebellion.     In  one  view,  it  is  an 
attack  upon  the  rights  of  the  tribe  of  Levi ;  ^  in  another, 
it  is  an  attack  of  the  Levites  on  the  exclusively  priestly 
rights  of  the  sons  of  Aaron.^ 
The  priestly      This  leads  us  to  the  remark  that  the  priestly  document, 
from  mTrV^  though  it  is  convenient  and  not  unfair  to  treat  it  as  a 
hlnd°'k       unity,  is,  like  the  prophetic  documents,  not  the  work  of  a 
represents  a  single  author  but  of  a  school,  and  represents  a  movement. 

movement      ,.  .     ,  ,  in-  i  , 

Many  mmds  were  at  work  upon  the  all-important  problem 
of  worship,  and  the  legislation  naturally  underwent  modifi- 
cation and  development.'*  The  older  stratum,  for  example, 
represents  only  the  high  priest  as  anointed  ;  ^  the  later,  the 
other  priests  as  well."  The  section  on  the  altar  of  incense  ^ 
— clearly  at  variance  with  the  original  section  (Ex.  27  :  1-8) 
which  implies  the  existence  only  of  the  brazen  altar — is 
only  one  of  many  later  additions.  The  most  striking  proof 
.  of  the  late  date  up  to  which  these  successive  revisions  were 

undertaken  is  seen  in  the  fact   that  the  Greek   transla- 
tion of  Exodus  35  to  40,  which  cannot  be  earlier  than  the 

1  Num.  34  :  17 ;  Josh.  14  :  i.  ^  Num.  16  :  3.  3  16  :  10. 

*  The  later  sections  are  printed  in  the  paraphrase  at  the  foot  of  the  page. 
*Ex.  29  :  7.  '  Ex.  28  :  41.  ''  Ex.  30  :  i-io. 

244 


the  Historians  Priestly  History 

third  century  B.  C,  implies  in  numerous  details  quite  a 
different  Hebrew  text  and  arrangement  from  that  which 
we  have.  Clearly  at  that  time  there  was  no  absolutely 
fixed  text  of  the  passage,  and  this  long  repetition  of 
Exodus  25  to  29  with  its  expansions  and  explanations, 
proves  that  the  section  is  itself  later  than  that  which  it 
expands. 

The  literary  characteristics  of  the  priestly  document,  itscharac- 
both  in  its  historical  and  legislative  elements,  are  so  strik-  order*^^ ' 
ing  as  to  be  easily  detected,  after  a  very  little  practice, 
even  in  the  English  translation.  One  of  the  most  notable 
— admirably  illustrated  in  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis — is 
its  sense  of  order  and  system.  The  days  of  creation  are 
marked  by  a  fine  sequence.  Here  it  is  majestic ;  often  it 
tends  to  be  mechanical.  This  almost  evolutionary  sense 
of  order  is  suggested  in  another  important  sphere  by  the 
three  stages  of  revelation,  which  are  marked  by  corre- 
sponding changes  in  the  divine  name.  Before  Abraham, 
God  is  simply  God,  Elohim ;  between  Abraham  and 
Moses,  the  bare  idea  of  godhead  gives  place  to  the  idea 
of  power,  and  he  is  El  Shaddai ;  in  the  third  and  latest 
stage,  he  reveals  himself  to  Moses  as  a  god  of  grace, 
'Jehovah.  There  is  a  similar  sequence  in  the  idea  of  the 
covenant.  The  first  covenant  is  made  with  Noah,  and  its 
sign  is  the  rainbow  (Gen.  9).  The  second  is  made  with 
Abraham,  and  its  sign  is  circumcision  (Gen.  17).  Later, 
the  Sabbath  is  spoken  of  as  a  covenant,  and  the  sign  of 
245 


Priestly  History  The  Messages  of 

the  covenant.*  The  love  of  system  is  further  seen  in  the 
arrangement  of  the  patriarchal  period  into  ten  "  gener- 
ations," beginning  with  the  heavens  and  the  earth  and 
ending  with  Jacob.  Sometimes  this  tendency  degenerates 
into  artificiality,  as  in  the  distribution  of  Jacob's  children 
in  Genesis  46,  which  makes  up  the  number  70  by  includ- 
ing Joseph's  sons,  gives  each  of  the  wives  twice  as  many 
children  as  their  respective  handmaids,  and  defies  the 
earlier  prophetic  narratives  by  assigning  to  Reuben  four 
sons  instead  of  two,  and  to  Benjamin,  the  youngest,  no 
less  than  ten,  two  of  whom  are  regarded  by  i  Chronicles 
8  :  3,  4  as  his  grandsons,  and  one  by  the  Greek  version  of 
Chronicles  even  as  a  great-grandson. 
Precision.  The  zeal  for  precise  statement  naturally  leads  to  much 
repetition.  A  most  extraordinary  illustration  is  to  be 
found  in  Numbers  7,  where  six  verses  are  repeated  twelve 
times.  It  is  impossible  to  imagine  the  prophetic  authors 
writing  in  this  way ;  the  legal  mind  is  obviously  here  at 
work.  Another  phase  of  the  same  tendency  is  the  fond- 
ness for  accurate  numbers,  dates,  and  measurements.  It 
is  the  priestly  writer  who  twice  gives  the  numbers  of  the 
various  tribes  ;  who  gives  the  ages  of  the  antediluvians ; 

1  Ex.  31  :  16,  17.  It  does  not  seem  safe,  however,  to  refer  this  to  the 
covenant  at  Sinai,  which  is  not  distinctly  mentioned  in  this  document ;  but 
see  Lev.  26  :  45.  (It  may  have  originally  had  a  place,  and  been  omitted  by 
the  redactor  of  the  Hexateuch.)  Nor  yet  is  there  warrant  for  assuming  that 
it  is  the  sign  of  a  covenant  made  with  Adam  ;  no  such  covenant  is  recorded. 
There  is  further  the  covenant  of  an  everlasting  priesthood  made  with 
Phinehas,  as  a  reward  for  his  defence  of  Jehovah's  honor.  Num.  25  :  13. 
246 


the  Historians  Priestly  History 

who  tells  us  not  only  the  year  and  the  month  but  the  very 
day  of  Noah's  life  on  which  the  flood  came,  how  old  Abra- 
ham and  Ishmael  were  when  they  were  circumcised,  and 
Moses  and  Aaron  when  they  appeared  before  Pharaoh.^ 
Indeed — as  we  have  seen — it  is  usually  the  priestly  chronol- 
ogy that  weakens  the  credibility  of  a  prophetic  incident, 
which,  without  that  chronology,  would  be  quite  probable  ; 
for  example,  Abraham's  denial  of  his  wife.  It  is  this 
source,  too,  which  gives  such  elaborate  measurements  for 
the  tabernacle  and  its  furniture,  and  even  for  Noah's  ark. 
With  the  strangest  precision,  it  tells  us  that  the  waters  of 
the  flood  prevailed  fifteen  cubits  above  the  high  mountains." 

Clearly  the  priestly  school  has  travelled  a  long  way  from  An  exalted 
the  easy  and  picturesque  freedom  of  the  prophetic  histo-  S  God!'°° 
rians.  Yet  there  is  gain  as  well  as  loss.  The  loss  in  ro- 
mantic and  historic  interest  has  been  accompanied  by  a 
purer  and  severer,  if  in  some  ways  less  attractive,  theology. 
The  idea  of  God  is  now  completely  freed  from  its  primi- 
tive and  mythical  elements.  His  glory  can  be  compared 
to  nothing  but  devouring  fire.^  To  describe  him  as  walk- 
ing in  a  garden  in  the  cool  of  the  day  would  be  inconceiv- 
able. He  is  high  and  lifted  up  above  earth  and  heaven. 
He  has  but  to  speak  and  things  are.  The  first  chapter  of 
Genesis  shows  how  nobly  even  men  whose  interests  were 
very  largely  ritual,  could  think  of  God.  It  is  a  stately 
prose-poem  which  ushers  us  into  the  mysterious  presence 
of  a  God  of  awful  majesty. 

*  Ex.  7:7.  "^  Gen.  7  :  20.  •  Ex.  24  :  17. 

247 


In  the  following  section  bold-faced  type  represents 
the  work  of  the  priestly  historians  ;  smaller  bold-faced  type 
represents  later  additions. 


248 


II 

THE   ORIGIN   OF   THE   THEOCRACY   (GcnCSis  tO 

Joshua) 

1.  History  before  Moses  (Genesis) 

Out  of  the  primeval  chaos,  God,  by  the  word  of  his  Man  the 
almighty  power,  created  an  ordered  world.     Stage  by  gS?"  ?rea- 
stage  he  fitted  it  for  the  living  creatures  he  should  ^'°"  Ij '  ^  *° 
create,  and  every  stage  was  divinely  perfect.     Then  he 
created  the  living  things  to  people  sea  and  sky  and  earth. 
But  last  and  noblest,  and  crown  of  all,  was  man,  whose 
coming  marked  a  new  departure.     For  God  made  him 
to  share  in  the  divine  nature  and  destined  him  to  over- 
come the  world,'  living  in  peace  with  the  creatures  upon 
the  fruits  of  the  earth.     God's  work  was  now  finished, 
and  it  was  all  divinely  fair.     So  on  the  last  day  of  his 
great  creation  week  he  rested  and  thus  established  for 
ever  the  sanctity  of  the  Sabbath. 

From  Adam  to  Noah,  the  hero  of  the  Flood — a  space  The  ten 
of  over  fifteen  hundred  years — there  were  but  ten  gen-  vians  (5"  i- 
erations,  for  in  those  ancient  days  the  span  of  life  was  ^^'  30-32) 
exceeding  long.      For   the   most  part,  however,  each 
generation  was  shorter  than  that  which  went  before,* 

1  Primarily,  of  course,  in  the  material  sense ;  there  may  be  an  unconscious 
suggestion  of  the  larger  and  deeper  meaning. 

2  So  the  Samaritan  text. 

249 


Genesis  5  :  24  ,  The  Messages  of 

though  Enoch,  for  his  perfect  walk  with  God,  was  priv- 
ileged not  to  see  death  at  all. 
God's  pur-        Now  the  world  had  grown  corrupt;   only  one  man, 
st°ro  \°he^'    Noah,  lived  righteously.     So  God,  in  holy  wrath,  deter- 
world  for  its  mined  to  destroy  that  sinful  world  by  bringing  upon  it 
sin  (6  : 9-22)  ^  fjQQjj^     But  with  righteous  Noah  he  made  a  covenant 
of  mercy,  and  instructed  him  against  the  day  of  the 
Flood  how  to  save  himself  and  his  family  and  to  pre- 
serve of  every  living  species  a  male  and  female  for  the 
world  to  be. 
The  Flood        By  his  obediencc  and  faith,  Noah  was  saved  and  all 
(7  :  6  to  8  :    ^jjg  living  creatures  that  were  with  him  in  the  ark.     For 
God  remembered  him  and  them,  and  caused  the  waters 
to  decrease  which  had  prevailed  for  one  hundred  and 
fifty  days,  so  that,  on  the  anniversary  of  the  coming  of 
the  Flood,  he  and  they  went  forth. 
God's  cove-       They  went  with  the  blessing  of  God,  which  conveyed 
nant  with      ^he  old  right  of  dominion  over  the  world.     To  this  he 
17,  28,  29)     added  the  right  to  partake  of  flesh  as  well  as  fruit,  for 
food.     Of  the  blood  of  the  animals  slain,  men  might  not 
partake ;   for  that,  as  the  symbol  of  life,  was  God's. 
Still  more  sacred  was  the  blood  of  man ;  for  he  was 
made  in  God's  image,  and  the  shedding  of  his  blood 
must  be  avenged  by  man.     Thus  God  made  his  first 
covenant  with  man,  and  with  every  living  thing,  never 
again  to  destroy  them  or  the  earth  by  a  flood ;  and  of 
this  covenant,  the  rainbow  is  for  all  time  the  sign  and 
pledge. 

^  This  section  is  divided  almost  equally  between  P  and  J. 
250 


the  Historians  Genesis  17:6 

From  Noah  sprang  the  three  great  groups  of  peoples,  Descendants 
the  Japhetic  in  the  north,  the  Hamitic  in  the  south,  and  t^^lf^^l"^ " 
greatest  of  all,  the  Semitic.  ^\li^lz'A 

For  to  the  Semites  belong  the  Hebrews.     Now  in  the  Descendants 
ten'    generations  from  Shem  to  Terah,  the  father  of °j ^^.^^^^^g) 
Abram,  the  span  of  human  life  grew  shorter  and  shorter, 
as  before  the  Flood. 

Terah's  clan  migrated  from  Ur  of  the  Chaldees  tow-  Migration  of 
ard  Haran.  Afterward  Abram,  with  wife  and  nephew  ^^'^^^^^^\ ' 
and  a  great  company,  went  on  to  Canaan,  where  they  J^:  4,  5;  13: 
settled — uncle  and  nephew  apart.^ 

As  Sarai,  his  wife,  was  barren,  she  gave  Abram  her  Birth  of  ish 
Egyptian  maid  Hagar,  who  bore  him  Ishmael.  ^^1^5) '  '  ^' 

When  Abram  was  old,  God,  revealing  himself  as  El  The  coye- 
Shaddai,  made  with  him  a  covenant  to  be  valid  for  all  Abram'Ji;) 
time,  promising  him  the  land  of  Canaan,  descendants 
exceeding  many — among  whom  should  be  kings — and 

1  So  LXX. 

2  Ch.  14  (Abram  the  warrior,  blessed  by  Melchizedek).  In  a  campaign 
of  four  mighty  kings  from  the  east  against  a  rebellious  conspiracy 
in  the  Jordan  valley,  Lot,  Abraham's  nephew,  was  carried  cap- 
tive. Whereupon,  warrior  like,  Abram  started  in  pursuit  with 
certain  confederate  chiefs,  and  recovered  both  the  prisoners  and 
the  spoil.  On  his  return  he  received  the  blessing  of  the  king  of 
Jerusalem,  priest  of  God  most  high,  and  in  gratitude  he  gave  to 
God,  in  the  person  of  his  priest,  a  tenth  of  the  recovered  spoil ; 
the  rest  he  nobly  restored  to  its  owner,  refusing  with  solemn 
oath  to  appropriate  it  to  himself.  (Linguistic  and  other  marks  make 
it  certain  that  this  curious  chapter,  round  which  a  controversy  has  waged, 
is,  in  its  present  form,  late.  Some,  however,  at  any  rate,  of  its  characters 
are  certainly  historical,  and  it  may  contain  historical  material.) 


Genesis  17:7  The  Messages  of 

that  he  would  be  their  God.    The  sign  of  the  covenant 
was  to  be  infant  circumcision,  obligatory  on  every  male. 
Sarai,  too,  aged  though  she  was,  should  bear  Isaac,  the 
son  of  the  promise.    Abram's  hopes  for  Ishmael  would 
indeed  be  fulfilled  ;  he  was  destined  to  be  the  ancestor 
of  twelve  tribes ;  but  it  was  with  Isaac  that  the  cove- 
nant would  be  established.     In  token  of  the  covenant, 
the  names  of  Abram  and  his  wife  were  changed.     In 
that  same  day  was  Abraham  circumcised,  with  all  the 
males  of  his  household,  according  to  the  divine  com- 
mand. 
The  deliver-      God  remembered  Abraham,  and  for  his  sake  saved 
u^g!  29/ °'    Lot  when  he  overthrew  the  cities  of  the  Jordan  circle. 
The  birth         Faithful  to  his  promise,  God  gave  Abraham  a  son 
^aV-^T^  1     through  Sarah,  and  Abraham,  faithful  to  the  obligation 

of  the  covenant,  circumcised  him. 
The  pur-  On  Sarah's  death,  the  Hittites  generously  offered  the 

MaSpeiah   pfi^cely  Abraham  his  choice  of  a  burying-place  from 
(23)  among  their  own.     With  gratitude  he  waived  their 

offer,  for  he  could  not  use  an  alien  grave ;  but  he  pur- 
chased from  them  a  certain  field  and  cave  in  Hebron, 
thus  winning  in  the  promised  land  ground  he  could 
legally  call  his  own. 
The  death  In  this  cave,  where  he  buried  Sarah,  he  was  himself 
^t^^^^^^r  buried  by  Isaac  and  Ishmael,  having  died  in  a  good  old 

age ;  and  after  his  death,  God  blessed  Isaac  his  son. 
The  de-  Ishmael  became  the  ancestor  of  twelve  tribes,  accord- 

STs'^Iel    ing  to  the  divine  promise.^ 

(25  :  12-17)        ^  Vv.  I  and  2  are  each  divided  equally  between  J  and  P.  *  17  :  20. 

252 


the  Historians  Genesis  35  :  26 

Isaac  married  Rebekah  of  Paddan-aram,  and  not  till  Thede- 
after  twenty  years  did  she  bear  him  sons,  Esau  and  5saac^(2?:°' 
Jacob.  19. 20. 26b) 

To  the  grief  of  his  parents,  Esau  married  Hittite  ,?f^^>  H'^- 

**  '^  '  tite  wives 

women.  (26  :  34, 35, 

But  Jacob  must  not  thus  err.     So  Isaac  sent  him  to  ^^  *  "^^1 
Rebekah *s  former  home  for  a  wife  with  the  prayer  that  to^?addVn"^ 
El  Shaddai  would    continue   upon    him  the  blessing  ^J^J"  ^^^  = 
vouchsafed  to  Abraham.     Esau,  now  seeing  the  mis- 
take of  his  own  marriage,  took  to  wife  a  granddaugh- 
ter of  Abraham. 

After  his  sojourn  in  Paddan-aram,  Jacob  came  with  Returns  to 
his  wives,  his  children,  and  his  substance  to  Shechem  ^^xo^^^^l)  1 
in  Canaan. 

The  son  of  the  prince  of  that  district  sought  through  The 
his  father  the  hand  of  Jacob's  daughter  whom  he  had  ^^^^^^'  °^ 
ravished.     Her  brothers,  indignant,  guilefully  consent-  chemites 
ed  to  intermarriage  between  the  clans,  on  condition  of 
circumcision.     The  Shechemites  accepted  these  terms  ; 
but  the  sons  of  Jacob  soon  rose,  slew  all  the  males,  and 
plundered  the  city,  for  the  wrong  done  their  sister.  The 
neighboring  cities  were  too  panic-stricken  to  pursue. 

At  Bethel,  God,  revealing  himself  by  his  old  name  ofTherevela- 
El  Shaddai,?  renewed  to  Jacob  the  promise  made  to  Bethel  (35 : 
Abraham,  and  gave  him  a  new  name,  Israel.  9-is) 

Jacob  with  his  twelve  sons,  all  born  in  Paddan-aram, 

'  About  half  a  dozen  fragments  of  verses  within  this  section  belong  to  P. 
2  The  larger  half  of  this  chapter  belongs  to  P,  the  rest  to  J. 
'17:  I. 

253 


Genesis  35  :  27  The  Messages  of 

Jacob  comes  Came  to  Isaac  in  Hebron,  once  Abraham's  home.    Then 

Isaac's^'       Isaac  died  in  a  good  old  age. 

death  (35 :        Esau  and  his  clan  settled  in  the  hill  country  of  Edom. 

The^de-        ^^  ^^®  Edomites  there  were  twelve  tribes  '  with  twelve 

scendants  princes.  Of  the  older  inhabitants  of  the  land,  the  Hor- 
^  ites,  whom  the  Edomites  absorbed,  there  were  seven 
tribes  with  their  subdivisions,  and  seven  chiefs.  Esau, 
the  first-born,  attained  to  monarchy  before  Israel,  and 
eight  kings  are  recorded  before  the  time  of  Saul.  After 
the  close  of  the  monarchy,^  the  eleven  districts  of  the 
country  were  governed  by  chiefs. 

Jacob  settles     Jacob  now  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Canaan. 

(37 :  I,  2a)        (Joseph  was  sold  into  Egypt.)    By  the  time  he  was 

Eg^ypt  ('"i :    thirty,  he  was  governor  over  all  Egypt,  next  to  the  king. 

46);  the  de-  xhither  Jacob  went  down  with  his  substance  and  fam- 

sceudants  of  ■' 

Jacob  (46:    ily,  seventy  souls  in  all,  including  the  two  sons  of  Jo- 
^""^^^  seph  ;  and  each  wife  had  twice  as  many  descendants  as 

her  handmaid. 
Sojourn  in  Pharaoh  offered  Jacob  and  his  sons  the  best  of  the 
^ff'^27'^28)  ^a"<i  to  dwell  in ;  and  the  patriarch,  greeting  the  king, 
spoke  with  pathos  of  his  wandering  life,  brief  in  com- 
parison with  that  of  his  fathers.  So  Joseph  settled  his 
father  and  brethren  in  the  country  of  Rameses,  and  they 
multiplied  and  prospered.  After  seventeen  years,  it  fell 
to  Jacob  to  die.  So  he  called  Joseph,  and,  telling  of  El 
Shaddai's  promises  to  him  at  Bethel,^  admitted  Joseph's 

1  Not  counting  Amalek,  which  is  represented  as  the  son  of  a  concubine 
(v.  12). 
a  Cf.  I  Chr.  I  :  51.  3  35  ;  9.15. 

254 


the  Historians  Exodus  6:12 


two  sons,  Ephraim  and  Manasseh,  to  the  rank  of  his  Jacob  and 

'       *^  '  Joseph  s 

own.  sons  (48  :  3- 

He  bade  his  sons  bury  him  with  his  fathers  in  the  ^^ 
promised  land,  in  the  cave  of  Machpelah  which  was  Jacob's 
Abraham's  by  right  of  purchase,  and  where  rested  his  burial  (49  : 
forefathers,  elect  of  God.    So  they  took  him  to  the  prom-  jofi^'jf^i^) 
ised  land  and  buried  him  there,  within  that  very  cave. 

2.  Moses  (Exodus  to  Deuteronomy) 
(i)    The  Delivei-ance  (Exod.  i  to  19) 

In  Egypt,  the  children  of  Israel,  at  first  seventy  in  The  oppres- 
number,  multiplied  exceedingly.    So  the  Egyptians  en- fi°E^.pf  ^* 
slaved  and  oppressed  them,  until  their  cry  went  up  to  ^^  •  ^'\'  ^\ 
God  and  he  in  pity  remembered  his  covenant  with  Abra-  2311-25) 
ham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  to  give  them  the  land  of  Canaan. 

Faithful  thereto,  he  revealed  himself  to  the  people,  The  new 
through  Moses,  not  as  of  old  to  the  patriarchs  by  his  of^God°° 
name  El  Shaddai,  but  by  his  new  name  Jehovah,  and  ^^  •  ^'"^ 
thereby  pledged  himself  to  deliver  and  redeem  them,  to 
take  them  for  his  own  people,  and  to  bring  them  to  the 
promised  land.     But  the  people  were  too  broken  to 
listen  to  such  a  message.     Disheartened  by  their  un- 
belief, and  conscious  of  his  own  inability  as  a  speaker, 
Moses  hesitated,  when  the  divine  commission  was  laid 
on  him,  to  demand  from  Pharaoh  the  release  of  Israel 
from  Egypt.^ 

1  6  :  13-30  is  an  awkward  interpolation,  separating  question  and  answer. 
The  substance  of  the  section  is  :  Moses  and  Aaron,  the  two  brothers  about 
to  be  sent  to  Pharaoh,  were  descendants  of  Levi,  the  third  of  Jacob's  sons. 


Exodus  7 


The  Messages  of 


Aaron  is  ap- 
pointed 
Moses's 
prophet 
(7:  1-7) 


The  sign  of 
the  rod 
(7  :  8-13) 


Water 
turned  into 
blood 
(7  :  19-22)  1 


The  plague 
of  frogs 
(8  :  5-7) 


The  plague 
of  gnats 
(8  :  16-19) 


The  plague 
of  boils 
(9  :  8-12) 


Jehovah  then  charged  Aaron  to  act  as  Moses's 
spokesman,  assuring  them  that  he  would  by  his  judg- 
ments compel  the  unwilling  Pharaoh  to  let  the  children 
of  Israel  go,  and  thus  force  the  Egyptians  to  see  what 
manner  of  god  was  Israel's  God.  Then  the  brothers 
delivered  Jehovah's  message  to  Pharaoh. 

With  Pharaoh's  demand  for  a  miraculous  sign  to 
authenticate  their  commission,  Aaron  complied.  But 
Pharaoh's  magicians  did  the  like ;  so,  despite  the 
higher  power  of  Aaron — for  his  rod  swallowed  theirs — 
he  remained  unimpressed,  as  Jehovah  had  said. 

A  second  sign,  this  time  a  plague  I  On  Moses's 
word,  Aaron  with  outstretched  rod,  turned  the  water 
of  the  land  into  blood.  But  Pharaoh's  magicians  did 
the  like  ;  so  he  remained  unimpressed,  as  Jehovah  had 
said. 

Another  sign  and  plague  !  On  Moses's  word,  Aaron 
with  outstretched  rod,  brought  frogs  upon  the  land. 
But  Pharaoh's  magicians  did  the  like  ;  so  he  remained 
unimpressed,  as  Jehovah  had  said. 

Yet  another  sign  and  plague  I  On  Moses's  word, 
Aaron  struck  with  his  rod  the  dust  of  the  earth,  which 
straightway  turned  into  gnats.  This  Pharaoh's  ma- 
gicians could  not  do,  and  they  confessed  it  to  be  a 
thing  divine,  though  not  the  work  of  Israel's  God.  So 
Pharaoh  remained  unimpressed,  as  Jehovah  had  said. 

Yet  another  sign  and  plague !  Moses,  assisted  by 
Aaron,  sprinkling  soot   from   the  furnace  toward   the 

^  Only  part  of  w.  20  and  21  belongs  to  P. 
256 


the  Historians  Exodus  14:4 

heavens,  caused  boils  to  break  out  upon  all  the  people, 
even  upon  the  magicians.  But  the  infatuated  Pha- 
raoh remained  unimpressed,  as  Jehovah  had  said. 

The  wonders  ceased.     The  time  for  judgment  had  The  institu- 
come,  Jehovah  resolved  to  smite  all  the  first-born  in  the  passover^^ 
land  of  Egypt,  and  to  execute  judgment  upon  Egypt's  (ii-  9  to  12: 
gods,  but  to  pass  over  every  house  of  Israel  that  bore 
the  blood-mark.     Therefore  in  that  month  of  spring — 
with  which  the  year  was  henceforth  to  open— by  di- 
vine command  the  feast  known  as  the  passover  was 
instituted. 

Only  the    circumcised  might  partake  thereof,   andltspar- 
therefore  the  whole  congregation  of  Israel ;  but  no  for-  ^I^^'^^.^q) 
eigner  or  sojourner,  and  only  such  settlers  among  them 
as  submitted  to  circumcision. 

(Jehovah  smote  all  the  first-born  of  Egypt.)     Thus  Departure 
Israel,  delivered,  went  out  from  Egypt  after  a  sojourn  [j°™^^p* 
of  exactly  four  hundred  and  thirty  years.  51) 

The  festival  of  unleavened  bread  was  ordained  as  a  Jf^unkav^^^ 
perpetual  memorial  of  the  deliverance.^  f"ed  bread 

*       *^  (12  :  14-20) 

Fittingly,  then,  after  the  slaughter  of  Egypt's  first-  ^he  conse- 
born,  was  Moses  commissioned  to  consecrate  to  Jeho-  cration  of 

'  r  T  «  o  •'the  first-born 

vah  all  the  first-born  of  Israel.^  (13  :  i,  2) 

The  Israelites  were  divinely  led  by  another  than  the  The  deliver- 
direct  way,  that  Jehovah  might  show  his  glory  upon  Re*d  Sea^  ^ 

(13  :  20  and 

1  The  exodus  is  already  an   accomplished  fact  (cf.   v.    17);  hence  the  i4>  ^ 
transposition. 

2  Cf.  Num.  3  :  13  ff,  8  :  17  ff. 

3  Ch.  14  is  divided  about  equally  between  P  and  J  E. 


Exodus  14 :  4  The  Messages  of 

Pharaoh,  and  force  the  Egyptians  to  see  what  manner 
of  god  was  Israel's  God.    The  infatuated  king  pursued 
and  overtook  them.     Israel,  however,  in  safety  passed 
through  between  the  walls  of  water  that  had  been 
parted  by  Moses's  outstretched  hand  ;  but  the  waters 
came  again,  and  overwhelmed  the  host  of  Pharaoh — 
chariots  and  horsemen  all. 
Quails  and        Reaching  the  barren  wilderness  of  Sin  in  May,  the 
manna  (i6)i  Respondent  people  murmured  bitterly  against  Moses 
and  Aaron.    To  accredit  his  servants  and  show  the  peo- 
ple his  glory,  Jehovah  sent  them  quails  for  flesh  in  the 
evening,  and  in  the  morning  heavenly  bread  in  the  form 
of  a  white  seed-like  thing  that  tasted  like  honey — each 
to  gather  an  omer  thereof ;  and  this— which  they  called 
Man  ^ — they  ate  for  forty  years  till  they  came  to  the 
borders  of  Canaan.^ 
Arrival  at         They  joumeycd  by  stages  till  they  came  to  the  wil- 
i«"%  :^J,  2»)  derness  of  Sinai  (and  there  Jehovah  gave  the  ten  words). 

»  Most  of  this  chapter  is  from  P  ;  5  or  6  verses  are  from  J  E. 

a  =  What  ? 

'  Whatever  each  one  gathered,  much  or  little,  it  came  to  an 
omer  (17,  18),  The  sanctity  of  the  Sabbath  was  divinely  empha- 
sized by  the  miraculous  doubling  of  the  Man  that  fell  on  the  sixth 
day,  and  by  its  miraculous  power  to  remain  fresh  (22-30).  Moses 
instructed  Aaron  to  set  a  pot  of  it  before  the  ark,  as  a  memorial 
for  all  time  (32-34).  (The  purpose  of  these  later  sections  is  sufficiently 
obvious.) 


258 


tJie  Historians  Exodus  28  :  i6 


(2)  Sinai,  with  the  Revelation  of  Things  Divine  (Ex.   24 : 
15  to  Num.  9  :  14) 

After  six  days  of  preparation,  Moses  went  up  to  the  Jehovah 
mount  in  obedience  to  the  voice  of  Jehovah  who  spoke  Motes(%  : 
to  him  from  out  the  fiery  splendor  of  the  cloud.  is^-iS") 

There  Jehovah  bade  him  build  for  him  a  sanctuary,  The  divine 
with  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  people,  so  that  taKaci?* 
he  might  dwell  in  their  midst.     He  further  gave  in-  and  all  that 
structions  for  making  a  tabernacle  with  all  its  furni-  thereto^ 
ture  :  an  ark  gorgeous  with  gold  and  guarded  by  cher-  ^^^  ^°  ^'^ 
ubim  to  contain  the  tablets  with  the  ten  words,  whence 
from  time  to  time  he  would  reveal  his  will ;  the  costly 
table  for  the  shew-bread  ;  the  golden  candlestick  with 
its  seven  lamps  ;  the  fourfold  covering  for  the  taber-  (26) 
nacle  of  byssus  curtains,  goats'  hair,  rams'  skins,  and 
porpoise  skins  ;  the  woodwork  of  acacia ;  the  veil  to 
separate  the  most  holy  place  wherein  was  the  ark  of 
the  testimony  from  the  holy  place  with  the  table  and 
the  candlestick  ;  the  curtain  for  the  door  of  the  tent ; 
the  altar,  with  all  that  pertained  thereto  ;  the  court  (27) 
round  about  the  tabernacle ;  the  oil  for  the  light  that 
should  never  go   out;   the  sacred  vestments  for  the (28) 
priests ;  for  the  high-priest,  the  ephod  with  its  shoul- 
der-pieces on  which  were  set  the  two  stones  graven 
with  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes,  to  bring  them  to 
Jehovah's  remembrance  when  the  high-priest  appeared 
before  him ;    attached  thereto,  the   breast-plate,   set 
259 


Exodus' 28  :  17  'The  Messages  of 

with  twelve  precious  stones,  and  furnished  with  the 
Urim  and  Thummim,  through  which  were  reached  de- 
cisions by  lot ;  the  upper  coat  with  its  warning  bells  ; 
the  golden  diadem  engraved  **  Holy  to  Jehovah,"  that 
covered  any  guilt  attaching  to  the  offerings  ;  the  tunic 
and  the  turban  ;  for  the  ordinary  priests— tunic,  girdle, 
head-dress ;  for  all  the  priests — drawers  to  hide  the 
nakedness  which  would  incur  Jehovah's  deadly  wrath  ; ' 

(29  :  x-35)  the  manner  of  consecration  of  the  priests— how,  after 
being  washed  and  invested  with  the  priestly  raiment, 
a  sin  offering  should  be  offered  to  cleanse  altar  and 
priests  from  sin,  then,  a  burnt  offering  for  a  sweet  savor 
to  Jehovah,  then  an  offering  to  consecrate  them  in  all 
their  faculties  and  in  their  priestly  office  ;  what  portion 
should  fall  to  Jehovah  and  to  them ;  the  transmission 
of  the  high-priest's  raiment  from  father  to  son  ;    the 

(31 : 1-17)  sacrificial  meal ; '  the  names  and  divine  equipment  of 
the  overseers  of  the  work  of  constructing  the  taber- 
nacle ;  ^  the  awful  sanctity  of  the  Sabbath  as  a  sign*  of 
the  covenant. 

Moses  comes     Then  Jehovah  gave  Moses  the  two  tablets  of  the 

down  from 

the  mount  1  V.  41,  which  anoints  all  the  priests,  is  later  of.  29  :  7. 

(31  :  i8a;  9  Also  the  atonement  for  the  altar  ;  the  burnt  offering  and  meal 

^^  ■  offering  morning  and  evening,  to  ensure  Jehovah's  presence  in 

the  midst  of  the  people  (29  :  36-46) ;  the  altar  of  incense  ;  the  poll- 
tax  of  half  a  shekel  for  the  service  of  the  sanctuary  ;  the  laver  for 
the  priests  ;  the  holy  oil  to  anoint  the  tent  and  its  furniture,  the 
high-priest  and  the  other  priests;  the  incense  (30). 
'  The  enumeration  in  w.  7-1 1  is  later. 

*  Like  the  rainbow  and  circumcision  of  the  previous  covenants. 
260 


the  Historians  Numbers  2  :  34 

testimony,  and  he  went  down  from  the  mount  with 
them.' 

A  month  after  the  erection  of  the  tabernacle,  Moses,  The  first 
assisted  by  Aaron  and  a  prince  from  each  tribe,  took,  the  men  of 
by  divine  command,  a  census  of  the  fighting  men  of  all  J^^ 
the  tribes,  except  Levi,  which  had  charge  of  the  tab-     ""^  ^ 
ernacle.     The  numbers  amounted  to  603,550. 

The  encampment   was  arranged  four-square,  three  The  order 
tribes  on  each  side,  with  Levi  and  the  tabernacle  in  the  ^Num.'^aT'^ 
middle,  Judah  leading  the  east  side,  Ephraim  the  west. 

1  As  he  went  a  divine  glory  transfigured  his  face,  and  thus  trans- 
figured, he  used  to  lay  Jehovah's  commands  upon  the  affrighted 
people.  But  when  this  task  was  over  he  would  put  a  vail  upon 
his  face  (34  :  29-35.  This  section  appears  to  be  late,  as  it  implies  the  tab- 
ernacle which  is  not  yet  in  existence).  Then  Moses  gathered  the 
congregation  together,  and  told  them  the  words  of  Jehovah,  be- 
ginning with  the  very  stringent  Sabbath  law.  All  the  instruc- 
tions he  had  received  from  Jehovah  on  the  mount,  the  people 
carried  out  to  the  letter;  so  Moses  blessed  them  (35  to  39).  By 
divine  command,  the  tabernacle  was  set  up  the  year  after  the 
Exodus,  on  New  Year's  Day.  The  cloud  covered  it,  and  the  glory 
of  Jehovah  filled  it.  The  cloud  by  day  and  the  fire  by  night  di- 
vinely guided  the  movements  of  the  people  (40).  On  the  day  of 
the  erection  of  the  tabernacle,  the  twelve  princes  made  an  obla- 
tion of  six  covered  wagons,  and  twelve  oxen,  for  the  transport  of 
the  fabric  of  the  tabernacle.  Then  on  twelve  successive  days 
they  offered  a  dedication  gift,  one  prince  each  day,  beginning 
with  the  prince  of  Judah,  and  all  the  gifts  were  alike— costly  ves- 
sels of  silver  and  gold  for  use  at  the  altar,  and  animals  for  sacri- 
fice (Num.  7).  There  is  conclusive  evidence,  reached  along  several  lines 
of  argument,  that  all  these  sections  which  we  have  relegated  to  foot-notes 
are  later  than  the  context. 

261 


Numbers  3  :  i  The  Messages  of 

TheLevites:  The  tribe  of  Levi  at  whose  head  stood  Aaron  the 
Sri'^anT  high-pricst  and  his  sons  the  priests,  was  appointed  to 
duties  do  the  work  of  the  tabernacle,  thus  taking  the  place  of 

(3  an  4)       Israel's  first-born  whom  Jehovah  claimed  for  himself 
when  he  smote  the  first-born  of  Egypt.     The  three 
clans  of  Levi  were  numbered,  and  their  position  and 
duties  assigned — service  to  be  rendered  by  all  between 
30  2  and  50  years  of  age.     The  tribe  numbered  22,000  ^ 
with  8,580  men  capable  of  service  ;  and  the  number  of 
first-born  over  and  above  the  number  of  Levites  were 
redeemed  with  money. 
The  remov-      By  divine  command,  the  children  of  Israel  removed 
undearf       ffom  the  camp  three  classes  of  unclean  persons, 
(s  :  1-4)  Thus  ran  the  priestly  blessing : 

ly  WeSg'       Jehovah  bless  thee  and  keep  thee  ! 
(6 :  22-27)        Jehovah  make  his  face  shine  upon  thee,  and  be  gra- 
cious unto  thee ! 

Jehovah  lift  up  his  countenance  upon  thee,  and  give 
thee  peace ! 

In  the  utterance  of  these  words,  Jehovah  promised 
to  impart  the  blessing  to  his  people. 

1  4  is  late. 

5  See  note  on  i  Chr.  23  :  3. 

3  The  numbers  when  added  (w.  22,  28,  34)  give  22,300.  By  adding  one 
letter  to  the  Hebrew  word  for  6  in  v.  28,  we  get  the  word  for  3.  This  would 
keep  the  total  right. 


262 


the  Historians  Numbers  14 :  38 


(3)   The  Fortunes  of  the  Way  (Num.  9  :  15  to  Deut.  34  :  9) 

The  people  obediently  ordered  their  march  according  The  guid- 
to  the  will  of  Jehovah  as  expressed  in  the  resting  or  J^^  ^s^-aj) 
the  rising  of  the  cloud  that  covered  the  tabernacle. 

The  signal   for  the  start  V7as  a  blast  of  the  silver  The  depart- 
trumpets.     In  seven  Weeks  after  the  erection  of  the  51^^'^°'" 
tabernacle,   the  first   start  was    made,    under  divine  (^°  •"  ^^S) 
guidance,   and  in  the    prescribed    order — Judah  lead- 
ing,  and    the    Levites   with    the    tabernacle   in    the 
middle. 

From  the  wilderness  south  of  Canaan,  Moses,  by  di-  The  spies 
vine  command,  sent  twelve  chief  men,  one  from  each  Jander^s^ 
tribe,  including  Caleb  of  Judah,  and  Hoshea  or  Joshua  ^^e  unbe- 

.  _  '  =»  ,    •'  .        ,  ,        ,        ^,  hevers  and 

of  Ephraim,  to  spy  out  the  promised  land.  They  passed  their  doom 
through  it  to  Rehob  in  the  extreme  north,  and  returned  ^^^  ^^^  ^'^ 
in  forty  days  with  a  report  which  caused  the  congrega- 
tion to  murmur.  "  Would  that  we  had  died,"  they 
said,  "in  Egypt,  or  in  this  wilderness."  'Jehovah 
taking  them  at  their  word,  solemnly  determined  that 
all  over  twenty  years  of  age  should  perish  in  the  wil- 
derness within  forty  years  for  their  sin  of  murmuring. 
The  lives  of  the  lying  spies  he  brought  to  a  sudden  end, 
sparing  only  Joshua  and  Caleb  who,  in  the  face  of  the 
rebellious  people,  had  spoken  of  the  land  as  a  land  sur- 
passingly good. 

»  To  P  belongs  13  :  1-7^;  to  J  E  14  :  11-25.     The  rest  is  divided  between 
J  E  and  P. 

263 


Numbers  i6 


The  Messages  of 


Rebellion 
and  fate  of 
Korah 
(i6  and  17)  ' 


The  sin  of 
Moses  and 
Aaron  (20  : 


count  of 
the  same 
incident 


Korah,  at  the  head  of  250  princes, 
rebelled  against  Moses  and  Aaron. 
"The  whole  congregation,"  they 
urged,  "  is  holy,  and  not  the  tribe 
of  Levi  alone."  Moses  invited 
them  to  submit  their  claims  to  a 
divine  test,  with  the  result  that 
they  were  all  destroyed.  Only  the 
earnest  prayer  of  Moses  and  Aaron 
saved  the  rest  of  the  congregation 
from  their  fate.  Their  resentment 
at  the  doom  of  Korah  and  his  com- 
pany vented  itself  on  Moses  and 
Aaron  in  angry  murmurs,  which 
Jehovah  this  time  chastised  with 
death  that  swept  away  thousands, 
and  was  only  stayed  by  the  priest- 
ly mediation  of  Aaron,  directed 
by  Moses.  Then  by  the  marvel 
wrought  upon  the  rod  of  Aaron 
that  stood  for  the  tribe  of  Levi,  the 
divine  will  was  declared  that  the 
privilegeof  ministering  inthe  sanct- 
uary belonged  to  that  tribe  alone. 
This  rod  was  to  be  preserved  as  a 
^varning  to  murmurers  and  rebels  ; 
and  the  people  were  sore  affrighted 
by  the  awful  holiness  of  Jehovah's 
sanctuary. 

Water  failed  on  the  border  of  the  promised  land,  and 
the  people  murmured  bitterly  against  Moses  and  Aaron. 
But  when  Jehovah  bade  Moses  bring  water  from  the 

1  To  Pi  belong  16  :  19-24,  and  16  :  41  to  17  :  13,  besides  odd  verses;  to 
P2  belong  16  :  iS  f>,  8-11,  16-18,  17  :  1-5.  There  is  also  a  considerable  J  E 
element  in  16. 

3  JE  and  P  blend  in  this  section. 

264 


Korah,  at  the  head  of 
250  Levites,  resenting  their 
A  later  ac-  subordinate  po- 
sition  in  the 
service  of  the 
sanctuary,  chal- 
lenged the  exclusive  right 
of  the  sons  of  Aaron  to  the 
priesthood  and  claimed  it 
for  the  whole  tribe.  (But 
in  the  test,  they  were  con- 
sumed by  fire  from  Jeho- 
vah) and  their  fire-pans 
were  beaten  into  plates  for 
an  altar-covering,  as  a  sign 
and  warning  that  only  de- 
scendants of  Aaron  should 
exercise  the  priestly  f^oc- 
tion  before  lehovaho 


the  Historians  Numbers  25  :  i8 

rock,  he  and  his  brother  sinned  against  the  holiness  of 
Jehovah  by  hasty  and  rebellious  ^  words  before  the 
people.  Wherefore  it  was  divinely  ordained  that  they 
should  not  bring  the  people  into  the  promised  land. 

The  doom  fell  first  upon  Aaron,  who,  like  Moses  af-  The  death 
terward,  died  upon  a  mountain-top.     High-priest  he  ("20  i^aT-aQ) 
was  to  the  end,  and  then  his  raiment  and  office  devolved 
upon  Eleazar  his  son.  Arrival  at 

the  plains 

The  people,  after  bewailing  Aaron,  journeyed  on  till  of  Moab 
they  came  to  the  plains  of  Moab,  opposite  Jericho.  22^  1)°'  "' 

(By  Balaam's  counsel,'^  the  women  of  Midian  were  Israel's  fall; 
set  to  tempt  Israel  into  intermarriage.)    Wherefore  in  Phinehas^ 
wrath  Jehovah  sent  a  plague  upon  Israel  which  swept  (25  :  6-9) 
away  thousands  and  was  only  stayed  by  Phinehas  the 
high-priest's  son,  who  in  his  zeal  for  the  offended  holi- 
ness of  Jehovah,  slew  the  shameless  prince  of  Simeon 
with  his  princess  paramour  of  Midian. 

His  zeal  for  the  honor  of  Jehovah  and  the  purity  of  The  reward 
his  people  received  the    divine    reward  of  perpetual  priesthood 
priesthood,  to  be  confined  to  him  and  his  descendants  (25 :  10-15) 
for  ever. 

Implacable  enmity  was  enjoined  against  Midian  for  War  with 
her  malicious  devices  against  Israel.^  Slned 

^  Cf.  V.  24.     Owing  to  the  difficulty  of  the  analysis  in  this  chapter,  it  is  (^5  :  16-18) 
hard  to  say  wherein  their  sin  consisted.     V.  24  suggests  rebellion,  more 
mildly  represented  in  v.  12  as  lack  of  trust.     It  was  hardly  the  smiting  of 
the  rock :  otherwise  what  was  the  use  of  the  rod  ? 

«  Cf.  31  :  16 

»  Ch.  31  :  The  war  enjoined  against  Midian  was  undertaken  by 
X3,ooo  men  of  Israel  who,  without  losing  a  man,  sleAv  every  male 
265 


Numbers  26 :  i  The  Messages  of 

The  second       As  before  at  the  beginning  of  their  wanderings,  so 
census  (26)    ^^^  ^^  ^^^  ^^^^  ^j^^  people  by  divine  command  were 

numbered  according  to  their  tribes  and  clans  by  Moses 
and  Eleazar  ;  not  only  were  there  fewer  now  than  then, 
but  not  one  of  those  numbered  then  was  now  alive  save 
Caleb  and  Joshua.  Thus  the  divine  word  was  fulfilled.' 
To  all  the  tribes  except  Levi  the  land  was  to  be  appor- 
tioned by  lot,  the  extent  of  the  inheritance  to  be  pro- 
portioned to  the  size  of  the  tribe. 
Moses  to  die  Then  it  was  divinely  appointed  that  Moses  should 
(27 :  °2-i4)  2  die  like  his  brother  upon  a  mountain-top ;  from  the 
Moab  heights  he  should  behold  the  promised  land,  but 
enter  it  he  might  not,  because  of  his  rebellious  words 
at  the  waters  of  strife. 

Joshua  his        In  answer  to  Moses's  affectionate  pleading  with  Jeho- 

(27':"5-°2'3)    vah  for  a  worthy  successor,  his  choice  was  divinely 

directed   to   Joshua,  who  should  enjoy    somewhat   of 

of  Midian  with  her  kings  and  Balaam,  author  of  the  malicious 
counsel,  and  took  enormous  spoil.  Then  by  command  of  Moses, 
all  but  the  virgin  females  were  slain,  as  it  was  through  the  women 
that  Israel  had  been  tempted.  To  this  occasion  the  law  runs  back 
which  ordains  that  the  spoil  be  equally  divided  between  the  ^var- 
riors  and  the  people  who  remain  behind  (Cf.  i  Sam.  30  :  24).  Of 
the  warriors'  portion,  \  per  cent,  was  given  to  the  priests,  and  of 
the  people's  portion,  2  per  cent,  to  the  Levites.  In  gratitude  and 
to  ensure  Jehovah's  grace,  the  officers  dedicated  to  him  an  offer- 
ing of  the  spoil,  which  was  kept  as  a  memorial  in  the  sanctuary. 
(This  chapter  is  very  late.  Its  significance  is  legal;  not,  or  only  very 
slightly,  historical.     Cf.  p.  161.) 

»  14  :  29,  34.  2  Cf.  Dt.  32  :  48-52. 

266 


the  Historians  Numbers  35  :  2 

Moses's  unique  dignity,   and    in    all  doubtful   issues 
should  ever  consult  the  high-priest. 

As  the  land  east  of  the  Jordan  was  a  good  land  for  Settlements 
cattle,  the  tribes  of  Reuben  and  Gad  asked  that  that  Jordan  (32) » 
might  be  their  inheritance.  Moses  at  once  indignantly 
challenged  them  with  disheartening  the  rest  of  the  people  by  their 
indifference,  and  reminded  them  pointedly  of  the  fate  of  the  spies 
and  of  the  whole  generation  which  believed  their  discouraging  word,  ^ 
On  promising  to  aid  the  other  tribes  until  they  had  con- 
quered the  west,  Moses  granted  their  request  on  condi- 
tion that  they  kept  their  word. 

Between  Rameses  at  the  beginning  of  the  wanderings  The  itin- 
of  Israel  and  the  plains  of  Moab  at  the  end,  forty  sta-  (3371-49) 
tions  are  recorded  in  an  ancient  list  that  goes  back  to 
Moses. 

By  divine  command,  Moses  charged  the  children  of  Moses's 
Israel  to  extirpate  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  with  (33^^^0-56) : 
every  vestige  of  their  idolatry,  and  then  to  possess  the  ^^^^ies  "if  the 
land  in  accordance  with  the  divine  purpose,  apportion-  land  (34) 
ing  it  by  lot  among  the  tribes ;  its  boundaries  to  be  the 
wilderness  on  the  south,  the  sea  on  the  west,  Hamath 
on  the  north,  and  on  the  east  the  lake  of  Gennesaret, 
the  Jordan,  and  the  Dead  Sea.     This  western  land  was 
to  be  the  territory  of  the  nine  and  a  half  tribes,  and  to 
be  apportioned  by  ten  princes— one  from  each  tribe,  Ju- 
dah  first— headed  by  the  high-priest  assisted  by  Joshua. 

To  the  Levites,  who  had  no  inheritance  of  their  own, 

>  JE  is  also  largely  represented  in  this  chapter, 
^  Vv.  7-15  are  due  to  a  very  late  Deuteronomic  redaction. 
267 


Numbers  35:3  The  Messages  of 

The  cities  the  other  tribes  were  enjoined  to  assign  forty-eight 
Levk^esand  cities  with  pasture  land,  including  six  cities  of  refuge- 
cities  of        three  on  either  side  of  the  Jordan— for  innocent  homi- 

refuge  (35) 

cides. 
Moses's  In  the  fortieth  year,  on  the  first  day  of  the  eleventh 

fDeut-'^i^s)  month  Moses  laid  upon  the  people  all  that  wherewith 

Jehovah  had  charged  him.* 
The  death        Thereafter  he  was  divinely  led  to  Nebo  on  the  Moab 
°^J^°2?^8.  heights,  there  to  die ;  and  there,  in  view  of  the  prom- 
52;  34  :  i-9)»  ised  land,  he  died.     In  the  leadership  of  the  people  he 

was  succeeded  by  Joshua  who  was  filled  with  the  spirit 

of  wisdom,  because  Moses  had  laid  his  hands  upon  him. 

3.  Settlement  in  the  Land  of  Promise  (Joshua) 

Israel  in  the  The  people  crossed  the  Jordan  and  encamped  in  Gil- 
promised  ga,l  near  Jericho.  Their  first  act  in  the  promised  land 
4:13,19;  was  to  celebrate  the  passover.  Then,  too,  they  first 
5  :  10-12;  ^^^  ^^  ^j^^  produce  of  the  land  ;  so  the  manna  ceased. 
Achan's  sin  They  Committed  treason  against  Jehovah  in  the  mat- 
andfate  (7;^  ^er  of  the  ban  ;  for  Achan  took  some  of  that  which  was 

under  ban ;  and  all  Israel  stoned  him  with  stones. 
The  Gibeon-     The  princes  of  the  congregation  had  given  a  promise 
i*^4i? '  ^^^'   °^  safety  on  oath  to  certain  cities  of  the  Gibeonites. 

'  Deut.  I  :  3  is  probably  the  preface  to  P's  summary  of  the  final  words 
of  Moses,  omitted  by  the  redactor  of  the  Hexateuch,  because  superseded 
by  our  present  Deuteronomy. 

s  With  32  :  48-52  cf.  Num.  27  :  12-14.  Of  34  •  i-9>  vv.  8  and  9  with  a  few 
fragments  belonging  to  P. 

3  One  or  two  very  brief  fragments. 

268 


the  Historians  Joshua  20  :  9 

The  people  were  indignant  at  the  promise  of  the 
princes ;  but  their  solemn  oath  could  not  be  broken. 
So  the  Gibeonites  were  spared,  but  reduced  to  the  posi- 
tion of  wood-cutters  and  water-carriers. 

Then  the  whole  congregation  gathered  together  at  The  tent  of 
Shiloh,  and  there  they  placed  the  tent  of  meeting,  for  placed  m 
the  land  had  been  subdued  before  them.  fi8^-°?) 

As  the  two  and  a  half  tribes  had  already  received  The  division 
from  Moses  their  inheritance,  accurately  delimited,  east  ?f^!^^^f"^. 
of  the  Jordan,  the  nine  and  a  half  western  tribes  now  14  =  1-5) 
received  their  promised  inheritance  in  the  conquered 
land  by  lot  from  the  high-priest  assisted  by  Joshua  and 
the  princes  of  the  tribes,  at  the  entrance  of  the  tent 
of  meeting  in  Shiloh. 

The  first  recorded  lot  is  that  of  Judah,  whose  boun-  The  boun- 
daries and  cities,  including  the  Philistine  cities  on  the  ^Se"  ^" 
sea-board,  are  most  exhaustively  given.    Then  come  (^5  to  19) » 
Manasseh  and  Ephraim,  with  meagre  records,  followed 
by  Benjamin,  which  again  is  exhaustive,  then  by  Sim- 
eon, Zebulon,  Issachar,  Asher,  Naphtali,  and  Dan. 

Then,  as  before  ordained,^  three  cities  on  either  side  The  cities  of 
of  the  Jordan  were  set  apart  as  cities  of  refuge  for  Stk! of^the 
innocent  homicides, ^   and  for  the  Levites,  forty-eight  J-evites 

(20  :  I  to  21  : 

42) 

1  With  the  exception  of  the  passages  ah-eady  assigned  to  JE  (cf.  pp.  ii8, 
119)  these  chapters  belong  entirely  to  P,  except  a  verse  or  two  which 
comes  from  the  final  redactor  of  the  Hexateuch. 

2  Num.  35. 

3  Vv.  4-6,  which  are  not  in  LXX,  belong  to  a  very  late  DeuteronomiC 
redaction.     Cf.  Num.  32  :  7-15. 

269 


Joshua  21  The  Messages  of 

cities  with  their  pasture  land,  including  these  six, 
drawn  from  the  other  tribes  and  assigned  by  lot  to  the 
three  clans  of  Levites — the  thirteen  cities  of  the  Levites 
providentially  falling  in  what  was  afterward  the  king- 
dom of  Judah.^ 


Ill 

THE    SOURCES,  AIMS,  AND   IDEALS   OF   THE   BOOK  OF 
CHRONICLES 

The  date  of  The  Pentateuch,  in  practically  its  present  form,  must 
ronic  es  j^^^^  \it.^n  In  existence,  at  any  rate  by  330  B.  C,  and  may 
have  been  in  existence  a  century  before  that.  But  the 
priestly  activity  which,  as  we  saw,  contributed  the  latest 
stratum,  was  not  exhausted  by  that  effort.  Once  more 
the  attention  of  that  school  was  directed  toward  history, 

The  memo-       ^  The  tribes  of  Reuben  and  Gad,  and  the  half  tribe  of  Manasseh, 
rial  altar         before  recrossing  to  their  own  territory,  raised  a  great  memorial 
\22  .  9-34)       altar  on  the  west  side  of  the  Jordan.     Regarding  this   seeming 
treason  to  the  law  of  one  altar  as  rebellion  against  Jehovah,  the 
congregation  sent  the  high-priest's  son  with  the  princes  of  the  ten 
western  tribes  to  remonstrate.     The  suspected  tribes  pledged  their 
solemn  word  that  the  altar  did  not  mean  rebellion,  nor  was  it  de- 
signed for  sacrifice,  but  as  a  witness  of  their  kinship  with  Israel 
and  their  right  to  worship  Jehovah,  should  the  Jordan  ever  be  re- 
garded as  a  divinely  constituted  barrier.    Their  assurance  satis- 
fied both  the  deputies  and  the  people  at  large,  and  confirmed  in 
Phinehas  the  faith  that  Jehovah  was  among  them. 
270 


the  Historians  Chronicles 


both  that  of  the  monarchy  and  that  of  more  recent  times, 
and  the  history  was  rewritten  from  or  adapted  to  the  new 
point  of  view.  Taking  no  account  of  the  books  of  Ezra 
and  Nehemiah,  which  really  form  part  of  the  same  work 
as  Chronicles,  the  date  of  Chronicles  is  manifestly  late. 
It  is  at  least  six  generations  after  Zerubbabel  ^  (520  B.  C.) 
and  cannot  therefore  be  earlier  than  350  B.  C. ;  according 
to  the  Greek  version  of  this  passage,  it  would  be  five  gen- 
erations later  still,  and  therefore  at  least  as  late  as  250 
B.  C.  It  is  thus,  roughly  speaking,  seven  centuries  from 
the  earliest  reign  which  it  records,  and  about  two  and  a 
half  from  the  latest. 

The  record,  then,  being  so  much  later  than  the  facts,  The  sources 
we  are  entitled  to  ask  :  what  were  the  sources  accessible  to 
the  author,  and  what  is  their  historic  value  ?  He  seems  to 
have  had  genealogies  at  his  disposal,''  and  he  very  often 
refers  to  the  works  of  prophets ;  but  these  last  were  prob- 
ably incorporated  ^  in  the  book  which  he  mentions  most 
frequently — though  not  always  by  the  same  name — and 
to  which  he  is  most  deeply  indebted,  namely,  the  Book  of 
Kings  of  Israel  and  Judah.  This  book  was  not  our  Book 
of  Kings  ;  for  it  contained  prophetical  sections  *  and  sta- 
tistical ^  and  other  ^  notices  that  form  no  part  of  our  book. 
It  was  probably  a  book  that  traversed  the  history  in  much 
the  same  didactic  spirit  as  Chronicles  itself.     Such  a  book 

1  I  Chr.  3  :  19  ff.  2  I  Chr.  5:17.  s  2  Chr.  20 :  34.  (R.  V.) 

*  2  Chr.  20  :  34.  6  I  Chr,  ^w.  "2  Chr.  33  :  18. 

271 


Chronicles  The  Messages  of 

was  called  a  midrash^  and  would  undoubtedly  serve  the 
Chronicler's  purpose  better  than  history  proper.  A  com- 
parison of  Chronicles  with  Samuel  and  Kings,  however, 
makes  it  quite  certain  that  he  also  had  before  him  the 
histories  recorded  in  these  books  in  just  their  present 
form.  True,  the  Chronicler  sometimes  supplements  the 
earlier  books  by  notices  which  are  both  interesting  and 
probable  ;  such  as  the  fortifications  of  Rehoboam,^  the 
wars  and  buildings  of  Uzziah.^  But  judging  from  the 
general  nature  and  style,  which  is  his  own,  of  his  ad- 
ditions to  the  earlier  books,  it  is  unsafe  to  say  that  he  had 
access  to  written  sources  older  than  our  books  of  Samuel 
and  Kings. 
The  Chroni-  A  glance  at  the  book  is  sufficient  to  convince  us  that 
cadonTo?"^"  it  is  not  Written  for  the  sake  of  the  history  it  contains, 
his  sources  jj.  jg  characterized  by  historical  improbabilities  such  as  we 
have  already  noted  in  the  priestly  narrative  in  the  Hex- 
ateuch  {e.g..  Num.  31)  and  even  in  the  later  strata  of 
Kings  (i  K.  13).  No  one  who  reads  the  speech  of  Abijah 
on  the  eve  of  the  battle  with  Jeroboam  *  could  seriously 
maintain  that  it  was  probable  ;  its  emphasis  on  ritual  is  too 
elaborate  and  obvious  (v.  11).  Indeed,  there  are  in  Chroni- 
cles direct  and  serious  contradictions  of  the  Book  of  Kings. 
The  Chronicler  tells  us  that  Jehoshaphat  joined  with  Aha- 

»  2  Chr.  24  :  27,  cf.  13  :  22.  The  nature  of  a  midrash  we  may  see  by  con- 
trasting 2  Chr.  20  with  2  K.  3. 

9  2  Chr.  II  :  5-12.  3  2  Chr.  26  :  6-15.  *  2  Chr.  13  :  5-12. 

272 


the  Historians  Chronicles 


ziah,  and  attributes  to  that  union  the  wreck  of  his  fleet ;  *  ac- 
cording to  I  Kings  22  :  49  he  refused  to  join  him.  He  tells 
us  again,  that  Ahaz  suffered  a  terrible  defeat  at  the  hands 
of  Pekah ;  *  according  to  2  Kings  16:5  (^f*  ^s.  7:1)  Rezin 
and  Pekah  besieged  him  but  could  not  overcome  him. 
Sometimes  the  history  is  practically  inverted,  as  when,  in 
Kings, ^  Solomon  gives  Hiram  cities  in  return  for  his  loan, 
whereas  in  Chronicles  *  it  is  Hiram  who  gives  Solomon 
the  cities.  The  Chronicler  even  twice  contradicts  himself 
as  well  as  Kings  ;  following  Kings  ^  he  says  that  the  good 
kings  Asa  and  Jehoshaphat  did  not  remove  the  high  places,^ 
and  yet  he  had  just  before  told  us  that  they  did,''  as,  on  his 
theory,  being  good  kings  they  should.  His  changes,  how- 
ever, are  never  capricious.  The  motive  is  usually  trans- 
parent, for  example,  to  avoid  the  discrepancy  occasioned 
by  the  two-fold  tradition  in  Samuel  ®  as  to  the  defeat 
of  Goliath,  he  represents  Elhanan  as  slaying  the  brother  of 
Goliath.^  His  motive  is,  however,  more  often  theological. 
David's  impulse  to  number  the  people,  which  in  2  Samuel 
24  :  I  came  from  Jehovah,  comes  from  Satan  in  i  Chron- 
icles 21  :  I. 

In  particular,  he  is  influenced  by  the  desire  to  glorify  The  Chroni- 
the  past  and  to  find  in  antiquity  the  fully  developed  insti-  oniTe  palt 

1  2  Chr.  20  :  35.  '2  Chr.  28  :  5-8. 

8  I  K.  9  :  11-14.  *  2  Chr.  8  :  2. 

*  I  K.  15 :  14 ;  22  :  43.  '2  Chr.  15:17;  20  :  33. 

»  2  Chr.  14  :  5  ;  17  :  6.  »  i  S.  17  :  51,  2  S.  21  :  19.    »  i  Chr.  20  :  5, 


Chronicles  The  Messages  of 

tutions  of  his  own  time  which,  in  point  of  fact,  took  cen- 
turies to  develop.  David  appears  as  the  founder  of  sacred 
music,  and  of  a  most  elaborate  temple  ritual  and  organ- 
ization. The  terror  of  his  name  is  over  all  the  earth.' 
Solomon's  glory  still  flashes  brilliantly  across  the  inter- 
vening centuries.  "  Jehovah  magnified  Solomon  exceed- 
ingly in  the  sight  of  all  Israel,  and  bestowed  upon  him 
such  royal  majesty  as  had  not  been  on  any  king  before 
him  in  Israel!' "  This  last  sentence  finely  illustrates  the 
somewhat  mechanical  and  unimaginative  spirit  with  which 
the  Chronicler  approaches  the  treatment  of  history.  Num- 
bers and  successes  are  exaggerated.  Hundreds  become 
thousands.^  Half  a  million  Israelites  perish  in  a  day." 
Jehoshaphat,  who  confesses  that  he  has  no  might,'  has  yet 
nearly  a  million  and  a  quarter  fighting  men.^ 
Omissions  The  omissions  are  just  as  significant  as  the  transforma- 
tions. There  is  no  reference,  for  example,  to  David's 
encounter  with  Ishbibenob,  in  which  he  was  delivered  by 
the  timely  arrival  of  Abishai ; '  no  mention  of  the  brazen 
serpent  which  was  in  the  temple  as  late  as  Hezekiah's 
time,^  nor  of  Hezekiah's  tribute  of  silver  and  gold  to  the 
king  of  Assyria,  ^  nor  of  the  idolatrous  and  immoral  wor- 

J  I  Chr.  14  :  17.  ="1  Chr.  29  :  25. 

3  I  Chr.  19  :  18,  cf.  2  Sam.  10  :  18.  i  Chr.  18  :  4,  cf.  2  Sam.  8:4.  In 
both  cases  700  becomes  7,000.  In  2  Chr.  4  :  5,  the  2,000  of  i  K.  7  :  26  has 
become  3,000. 

*  2  Chr.  13  :  17.  *  2  Chr.  20  :  12.  *  2  Chr.  17  :  14-19. 

»  2  Sam.  21  :  15-17.  •  2  K.  18  :  4.  »  2  K.  18  :  14.16. 

274 


the  Historiajis  Chronicles 


ship  that  flourished  under  Rehoboam.'  The  temper  in- 
dicated by  these  omissions  is  still  more  conspicuous  in 
the  longer  omissions.  Nothing  is  given  of  Saul's  reign  but 
the  close,'^  and  even  there  his  doom  is  explained  in  a  way  ^ 
not  strictly  consistent  with  the  original  passage  in  i  Sam- 
uel 28  :  6.  The  story  of  David's  sin  against  Uriah  is 
omitted,  as  well  as  the  story  of  Amnon,  with  Absalom's 
flight,  recall,  and  rebellion,  the  intrigues  which  secured 
the  throne  for  Solomon,  his  foreign  marriages  and  idol- 
atries. The  most  striking  omission,  however,  is  the  ab- 
sence of  all  but  the  barest  references  to  the  northern 
kingdom,  those  only  being  retained  which  relate  in  some 
way  to  the  southern  kingdom. 

This  is  the  key  to  the  book.     Nothing  is  of  real  interest  The  key  to 
but  Judah  ;  and  in  Judah,  Jerusalem  ;  and  in  Jerusalem,  !he  pre-emU 
the   temple.      For  the   Chronicler,  the   temple   with   itSj^J^^°^ 
worship  is  the  centre  of  the  universe.     "  Jehovah  is  not 
with  Israel  "  *  sounds  the  watchword  of  the  book,  which 
exalts  the  religious  uniqueness  of  Judah.     For  example, 
while  many  of  the  northern  tribes  laughed  to  scorn  Heze- 
kiah's  messengers  when  invited  to  celebrate  a  great  pass- 
over  feast  at  Jerusalem,  Judah  accepted   the  invitation 
unanimously.^     This  explains  why  in  i  Chronicles  2  to 
8  the  genealogies  of  Judah  are  given  first  place  and  dis- 
proportionate space,  occupying  102  verses,     Characteris- 

1  I  K.  14  :  22-24.  *  I  Chr.  lo.  '  i  Chr.  lo  :  14. 

*  2  Chr.  25  :  7.  s  2  Chr.  30  :  10-12. 


Chronicles  The  Messages  of 

tically,  too,  Benjamin,  whose  lot  was  associated  with 
Judah's,  receives  at  least  40  verses,  and  Levi  81,  while  all 
the  others  put  together  have  only  86.  So  completely  has 
the  northern  kingdom  vanished  from  the  thought  of  the 
Chronicler  that  its  name  is  occasionally  applied  to  Judah 
when  the  writer  is  thinking  of  the  people  as  in  covenant 
relation  to  God,  so  that  the  "  princes  of  Judah  "  in  one 
verse  can  be  called  the  princes  of  Israel  in  the  next,'  and  a 
king  of  Judah  may  be  called  a  king  of  Israel.^  Naturally 
Judah  is  tenderly  dealt  with.  The  threat  of  the  prophets 
contemporary  with  Manasseh,  of  the  terrible  doom  to  fall 
on  Judah  and  Jerusalem,  is  omitted.^  Worship  on  the 
high  places,  a  practice  which  the  Book  of  Kings  admits  and 
deplores,  is  often  quietly  passed  over,*  nor  are  there  many 
traces  left  of  the  immorality  of  the  worship  which  Kings 
represents  as  being  tolerated  by  some  rulers,*  and  attacked 
by  others.^  When  a  fact  that  makes  against  Judah  is  rec- 
ognized, it  usually  receives  a  kindly  turn  at  the  hand  of 
the  Chronicler.  The  notice  in  i  Kings  22  :  43  that  in 
Jehoshaphat's  time  "  the  people  still  sacrificed  and  burnt 
incense  in  the  high  places,"  becomes  in  2  Chronicles 
20  :  33  "  neither  as  yet  had  the  people  set  their  hearts 
unto  the  God  of  their  fathers." 

^  2  Chr.  12  :  5,  6.  ^  2  Chr.  21  :  2,  Jehoshaphat;  2  Chr.  28  :  19,  Ahaz. 

3  2  K.  21  :  11-16. 

•  2  K.  14  :  4,  Amaziah  ;  15:4,  Uzziah  ;  15  :  35,  Jotham. 

•  I  K.  14  :  22-24,  Rehoboam. 

•  I  K.  15  :  12,  Asa;  22  :  46,  Jehoshaphat. 

276 


the  Historians  Chronicles 


Interest,  then,  is  monopolized  by  Judah,  and  it  has,  f or  The  promi- 
its  centre,  the  temple,  with  its  ritual,  its  priests,  its  Levites,  uaHnterests' 
its  singers.  In  this  the  book  is  but  a  faithful  reflex  of  the 
post-exilic  age  in  which  it  was  composed.  For  the  body- 
guard which  assisted  in  the  revolution  of  Jehoiada,  the 
Chronicler  substitutes  the  Levites,^  as  he  does  for  the 
prophets  mentioned  in  connection  with  Josiah's  reforma- 
tion." How  prominent  ritual  interests  were  in  his  mind 
may  be  strikingly  seen  in  his  treatment  of  Hezekiah's 
reign  as  compared  with  the  account  in  the  Book  of  Kings. 
In  the  latter  book,  there  is  historical  interest  of  the  most 
thrilling  kind — the  Assyrian  embassy  to  Hezekiah,  the 
threatened  attack  on  Jerusalem,  the  strange  deliverance, 
and  behind  all  the  great  figure  of  Isaiah.  The  Chronicler, 
though  he  does  not  ignore  this  story,  devotes  by  far  the 
largest  share  of  his  attention  to  the  great  passover  held  in 
Hezekiah's  reign.  Similarly  the  brief  statement  of  Josi- 
ah's passover  in  the  Book  of  Kings '  is  expanded  by  the 
Chronicler  into  19  verses.*  The  mention  of  the  temple, 
although  it  occurs  in  a  message  to  a  foreigner,  leads  to 
an  elaborate  notice  of  the  various  services,  for  which  the 
Book  of  Kings  supplies  no  warrant.^  David  is  interested 
in  the  minutest  detail  of  the  organization  of  the  yet  un- 
built temple.  Uzziah's  leprosy,  of  which  2  Kings  15  :  5 
only  states  the  fact,  is  interpreted  by  the  Chronicler  as 

^  2  Chr.  23.  2  2  K.  23  :  2 ;  2  Chr.  34  :  30. 

'  2  Chr.  23  :  21-23.        *  2  Chr.  35  :  1-19.  ^  Chr.  2  :  4,  i  K.  5  :  5. 

277 


Chronicles  The  Messages  of 

punishment   for  encroaching    on    priestly  prerogatives.' 
In  a  battle,  the  priests  with  their  trumpets  are  almost  as 
necessary  an  adjunct  as  God  himself.^ 
Levitical  Especially  keen  is  the  interest  displayed  by  the  author  in 

in  eres  s  ^^  Levites,  SO  that  it  has  been  plausibly  suggested  that 
he  was  himself  a  Levite.  It  is  a  Levite  who  is  moved  by 
the  Spirit  to  speak  a  heartening  word  to  Jehoshaphat  before 
the  battle.^  At  the  reformation  of  Josiah,  it  is  distinctly 
said  that  the  Levites  were  more  enthusiastic  than  the 
priests.  *  Coupled  with  this  is  the  Chronicler's  exceptional 
interest  in  the  musical  service.  In  his  account  of  the  inau- 
guration of  the  temple,  and  of  the  passovers  of  Hezekiah 
and  Josiah,^  the  music  receives  special  attention. 
The  proph-  It  would  be  a  mistake,  however,  to  suppose  that  the 
fcfes"  '^°"'  Chronicler  cares  for  nothing  but  priests  and  ritual.  He 
also  cares,  after  his  own  fashion,  for  prophets  and  moral- 
ity. In  fact,  the  Book  of  Chronicles  is  richer  in  prophetic 
scenes  than  the  Book  of  Kings.  The  function  of  the 
prophet  is  here  as  elsewhere  to  reprove  apostasy,®  and  to 
bring  men  back  to  God.'  The  threat  of  a  prophet  will  find 
its  grim  fulfilment  ®  unless  averted  by  humility  and  repent- 
ance.® Even  kings  have  to  listen  humbly  to  the  proph- 
et's  word.'"     In   one   passage,  belief  in  the  prophet  is 


1  2  Chr.  26  :  16-20. 

2  2  Chr.  13  :  12.               82  Chr.  20  :  14. 

*  2  Chr.  29  :  34. 

6  2  Chr.  5  :  11-13 ;  29 :  25,  26;  35  :  15. 

•  2  Chr.  25  :  15. 

7  2  Chr.  24  :  19.                82  Chr.  36  :  21, 

•  2  Chr.  12  :  6,  7. 

10  2  Chr.  36  :  12. 

278 

the  Historians  Chronicles 


almost  made  co-ordinate  with  faith  in  Jehovah  himself.* 
Such  is  the  Chronicler's  theory  of  the  prophet's  place 
and  function,  and  the  theory  is  supported  by  his  illustra- 
tions. Shemaiah,  for  instance,  explains  to  Rehoboam  that 
the  invasion  of  Shishak  is  the  divine  retribution  upon  his 
forgetfulness  of  Jehovah.'^  Hanani  reproves  Asa  for 
putting  his  trust  in  a  human  king,^  just  as  Jehu  reproves 
Jehoshaphat  for  assisting  the  wicked  Ahab,*  and  Eliezer 
warns  him  of  the  consequences  of  his  league  with  Aha- 
ziah.*  Over  the  army  of  Israel,  intoxicated  by  its  defeat 
of  Judah,  Oded  hangs  his  threat  and  reproof,®  while  Aza- 
riah  encourages  Asa,  and  gives  the  impetus  to  his  refor- 
mation.'' 

On  the  pages  of  the  Chronicler,  the  prophet  seems  to  Their  signifi- 
hold  a  place  second  only  to  that  of  the  priest.  Yet  a 
closer  examination  compels  us  to  doubt  whether  he  had 
any  profound  interest  in  or  knowledge  of  the  prophets. 
Hardly  any  of  the  allusions  to  the  prophets  or  their 
speeches  is  supported  by  the  testimony  of  the  Book  of 
Kings  ;  and  some  of  the  prophetic  appearances  mentioned 
above  occur  in  connection  with  incidents  which,  as  we 
have  seen,  are  even  contradicted  by  that  book,  such  as  the 
league  of  Jehoshaphat  with  Ahaziah,  and  the  defeat  of 
Ahaz  by  Pekah.     It  would  be  strange  that  one  who  really 

*  2  Chr.  20  :  20.  2  2  Chr.  12:5.  3  2  Chr.  16  :  7-10. 

'.         *  2  Chr.  19  :  2,  3.  *  2  Chr.  20  :  37. 

«  2  Chr.  28  :  9  ff.  '2  Chr.  15:26?. 

279 


cance 


Chronicles  The  Messages  of 

cared  for  prophets  should  all  but  ignore  the  giant  figure 
of  Elijah,  as  the  Chronicler  does.  That  cannot  be  only 
because  he  is  a  prophet  of  the  northern  kingdom,  for  he 
does  mention  him — strangely  enough,  as  writing  ;  *  and 
this,  the  only  mention  of  him,  involves  a  historical  impos- 
sibility.^ In  the  days  of  the  Chronicler,  the  prophet  was 
no  more  a  living  reality :  but  it  vi^as  impossible  to  forget 
the  place  he  had  once  filled,  and  the  duties  he  had  striven, 
too  often  unsuccessfully,  to  do.  It  is  in  that  capacity  then 
that  he  appears  before  us  in  the  Book  of  Chronicles,  as 
pointing  out  the  moral  of  a  situation  in  the  w^ay  above  de- 
scribed, now  by  stimulus,  now  again  by  rebuke.  He  ful- 
fils much  the  same  function  in  the  Book  of  Chronicles  as 
the  Deuteronomic  redactor  in  the  earlier  historical  books. 
Each  appears  at  salient  points  in  the  history  in  the  spirit 
of  the  moralist  or  the  preacher  rather  than  of  the  objective 
historian,  and  elicits  from  the  situation  the  truth  it  is 
fitted  to  teach. 
Therelig-  As  the  Chroniclcr's  additions,  omissions,  and  trans- 
Chrontcles°^  formations  show  that  he  does  not  claim  to  be  a  historian 
in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  word,  it  is  all  the  more  in- 
cumbent upon  us  to  find  where  his  interests  and  passions 
really  lie.  Apart  from  the  obvious  sacerdotalism,  which 
meant  so  much  to  him,  it  is  in  great  part  to  the  prophetic 
scenes  that  we  must  go  to  learn  how  deeply  he  cared  for 

*  2  Chr.  21  :  12. 

*  "  He  had  quitted  this  earth  long  before."     Cf.  2  K.  3  :  ii ;  8  :  i6. 

280 


the  Historians  Chronicles 


God,  how  highly  he  valued  fidelity  to  him,  and  how  firmly 
he  believed  in  the  moral  government  of  the  world.  These 
thoughts  lie  behind  their  sometimes  strange  historic  set- 
ting ;  they  lie  deep  in  the  heart  of  the  Chronicler,  and  it  is 
his  thought  and  moral  convictions  rather  than  his  history 
that  are  the  things  of  value  to  us.  Tllfe  older  the  Hebrew 
nation  grew,  the  more  fantastic  became  its  imagination, 
and  the  deeper  its  disregard  of  fact  as  fact ;  but  it  always 
firmly  held  the  deep,  great,  and  fundamental  things  that 
lie  behind  all  fact. 

If  we  note  the  teaching  of  the  book  more  closely  in  Intense  be- 
this  light,  what  at  first  seems  a  mechanical  reading  of  an  mora"  order 
event  will  on  second  thought  appear  as  testimony  to  a 
profound  and  intense  belief  in  a  moral  order.  Amaziah's 
fatuous  challenge  of  Joash  with  the  defeat  which  it  in- 
volved, is  regarded  as  the  divine  punishment  of  his  idol- 
atry in  seeking  after  the  gods  of  Edom.^  To  a  similar 
reason  is  traced  the  defeat  of  Ahaz,  at  the  hands  of  Aram, 
Israel,  Edom,  and  Philistia,^  and  also  the  defeat  of  Joash 
by  Aram.^  Similarly  Jotham  becomes  mighty  because  he 
ordered  his  ways  before  Jehovah,  his  God,*  and  Manas- 
seh's  repentance  delivers  him  from  exile  as  surely  as  his 
sin  had  carried  him  thither.^  All  this  teaching  implies  a 
moral  and  religious  interpretation  of  fact,  altogether  inde- 
pendent of  the  historicity  of  these  particular  facts.     The 

^  2  Chr.  25  :  20.  '2  Chr.  28  :  5,  19.  3  2  Chr.  24  :  24. 

*  2  Chr.  27  :  6.  ^  2  Chr.  33  :  n-13. 

281 


great  reality 


Chronicles  The  Messages  of 

theory  would  not  be  invalidated  if  any  or  all  of  these  inci- 
dents were  disproved.  For  the  theory  represents  a  moral 
reality  resting  partly  it  may  be  on  intuition,  yet  also  partly 
on  observation  and  experience  if  not  of  these  facts  then  of 
others. 
God  the  ^  Instead  of  quarrelling  then  with  the  Chronicler  for  his 

history — the  value  of  which  as  history,  God,  by  preserv- 
ing for  us  the  canon  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  has 
himself  given  us  the  means  of  determining — we  should 
rather  learn  of  him  his  deep  faith  in  the  moral  significance 
of  history.  The  strength  of  his  conception  is  indeed  not 
so  obvious  as  its  weakness,  but  it  is  as  real.  When  he 
tells  us  that  Hezekiah  prospered  because  of  his  zeal  for 
religion,"  it  is  easy  to  say  that  his  religion  was  largely  a 
matter  of  ritual,'^  and  that  his  prosperity  is  externally  con- 
ceived. But  deeper  than  that  is  the  great  faith  th^t  God's 
hand  is  in  human  affairs,  filling  them  full  of  moral  mean- 
ing. If  God  is  transcendent,^  he  is  also  immanent.  The 
tremendous  reality  that  God  should  be  in  life  is  suggested 
by  Asa's  terrible  decree,  which  condemned  to  death  all 
who  refused  to  seek  Jehovah,  whether  small  or  great,  man 
or  woman.*  Is  it  unnatural  that  so  great  a  reality  should 
make  himself  felt — that  if,  and  so  long  as,^  men  seek  him, 
he  will  be  found  of  them,  but  if  they  forsake  him,  he  will 
forsake  them " — in  ways  that  the  dullest  will  feel  ?     How 

»  2  Chr.  31  :  21.  2  Cf.  2  Chr.  13  :  11.  »  Gen.  i. 

4  2  Chr.  15  :  13.  »  2  Chr.  26  :  5.  '2  Chr.  15  :  2. 

282 


the  Historians  Chronicles 


externally  the  divine  interposition  is  sometimes  conceived 
may  be  seen  by  a  study  of  some  of  the  battle-scenes  scat- 
tered throughout  the  book.  The  figure  of  the  v^arrior  is 
even  less  clear  to  the  Chronicler  than  that  of  the  prophet. 
There  is  an  almost  Miltonic  unreality  about  the  battles  ;  or 
rather,  we  might  say,  there  are  no  battles.  The  human  war- 
riors hardly  count  at  all.  They  have  but  to  shout ; '  and 
if  the  cause  is  just — which  usually  and  not  altogether  with- 
out historical  justification  means,  if  the  cause  is  Judah's — 
the  victory  is  theirs.  This  may  seem  mechanical ;  but  it 
is  the  Chronicler's  embodiment  of  the  great  truth  that 
God  is  the  arbiter  of  war,  and  that  battles  and  victories 
and  defeats  do  not  mean  nothing.  Numbers  cannot  over- 
whelm the  cause  that  is  God's,  for  he  is  omnipotent.' 
Success  in  battle,  as  in  life,  comes  from  "  leaning  on  Je- 
hovah, the  God  of  the  fathers  ;  "  ^  both  faith  and  "  work 
shall  be  rewarded."  * 

To  the  Chronicler,  then,  no  less  than  to  the  prophet,  it  is 
God  who  is  the  great  reality  of  life.  All  human  activity 
is  under  his  direction.  Judges  administer  justice,  not  for 
man  but  for  him.^  The  inspiration  to  all  work  is  faith  in 
him.  ReHance  on  man  is  a  no  less  than  tragic  mistake. 
Even  the  good  Asa  twice  erred  in  this  way.  Once  in 
straits  he  relied  upon  the  king  of  Aram,®  and  once  again 
on  the  physicians  ; '  both  times  comes  the  reminder  that 

»  2  Chr.  13  :  15.        22  Chr.  14  :  n.        s  2  Chr.  13  :  i&;  26 :  5. 
*  2  Chr.  15  :  7.  »  2  Chr.  19  :  6.  «  2  chr.  16  :  7.       '^  i  Chr.  16 :  la. 

283 


Chronicles  The  Messages  of 

the  source  of  all  help  is  God.  But  the  God  in  whom  so 
absolute  a  confidence  is  demanded  is  worthy  of  it,  for  he 
is  omnipotent.  He  can  be  appealed  to  in  the  most  desper- 
ate straits  ;  legions  cannot  prevail  against  him.'  It  is  he 
who  determines  alike  the  wars  of  neighboring  tribes ' 
and  the  great  movements  of  history.^  He  has  power  to 
help  and  to  cast  down.  He  can  compensate  men  for 
losses  that  befall  them  in  the  path  of  obedience  to  his 
word,*  and  he  shows  himself  strong  in  behalf  of  those 
whose  heart  is  perfect  toward  him.*  But,  besides  being 
omnipotent,  he  is  omniscient.  His  eyes  run  to  and  fro 
throughout  the  whole  earth.^  He  searcheth  all  hearts 
and  understandeth  the  imaginations  of  the  thoughts/ 
He  is  no  respecter  of  persons.  Men  receive  at  his  hands 
their  just  deserts,®  so  that  the  good  can  count  upon  his 
presence,®  and  not  the  good  only,  but  the  penitent ; '°  "  for 
he  is  gracious  and  merciful  and  will  not  turn  away  his 
face  from  you,  if  ye  return  unto  him."  "  In  a  word,  he  is 
"  Jehovah  the  good,"  ^"^  who  is  ready  to  pardon  all  who 
earnestly  seek  him,  though  their  approach  to  him  be  not 
ritually  correct. "  His  spirit  is  unlimited  and  impartial  in 
its  operations.     It  can  reveal  to  David  the  pattern  of  the 

1  2  Chr.  14  :  II.  2  I  Chr.  5  :  22. 
3  I  Chr.  5  :  26.  *  2  Chr.  25  :  8,  9. 
6  2  Chr.  16  :  9.  *  2  Chr.  16  :  9. 
'  I  Chr.  28  :  9.  82  Chr.  15  :  2. 
»  b.  Chr.  19  :  11.  "  2  Chr.  15  :  4. 
»»  2  Chr.  30:9.     '2  2  Chr.  30:  18.      i3  2  Chr.  30  :  19. 

284 


the  Historians  Chronicles 


temple,^  and  it  can  inspire  the  warrior '  no  less  than  the 
prophet.^ 

With  such  a  God  to  worship,  it  would  be  impossible  that 
the  interests  of  the  Chronicler  should  be  wholly  bound 
by  ritual.  He,  too,  has  caught  something  of  the  divine 
large-heartedness.  He  has  the  daring  to  invest  the  king 
of  Egypt  with  an  almost  prophetic  dignity,  in  making  him 
the  bearer  of  a  divine  message  to  Josiah.*  Supremely  in- 
structive is  his  account  of  Hezekiah's  reformation,  where 
thorough  ritualist  as  he  was,  he  yet  clearly  subordinated 
form  to  the  spirit.  The  passover  then  held  was  full  of  ir- 
regularities. It  was  held  in  another  month  than  that  pre- 
scribed by  law,  and  was  attended  by  multitudes  who  were 
unclean.  Yet,  with  a  nobleness  worthy  of  the  God  whom 
he  worshipped,  he  puts  into  the  lips  of  Hezekiah  the  fol- 
lowing beautiful  prayer  :  "  May  Jehovah  the  good  pardon 
every  one  that  setteth  his  heart  to  seek  God,  even  Jehovah, 
the  God  of  his  fathers,  though  he  be  not  cleansed  accord- 
ing to  the  purification  of  the  sanctuary." 

»  I  Chr.  28  :  12,  cf.  19.  »  i  Chr.  12  :  18. 

*  2  Chr.  15:1.  *  2  Chr.  30  :  18,  19. 


28s 


In  the  following  pages  bold  face  type  represents  the 
work  of  the  priestly  historians. 

Passages  quoted  by  the  Chronicler  from  the  Books  of 
Samuel  and  Kings  are  not  paraphrased,  but  are  alluded 
to  by  title,  and  printed,  like  all  original  historical  sources, 
in  plain  type. 

Contradictions  in  the  Books  of  Chronicles  to  the  original 
notices  in  Samuel  or  Kings  are  indicated  by  UPRIGHT 
CAPITALS,  and  important  modifications  of  these  notices 
by  SLOPING  CAPITALS. 


286 


I  Chronicles  5  :  17 


IV 


THE    HISTORY    OF    JUDAH    TO    THE    CAPTIVITY 

(i  and  2  Chronicles) 

I .  Preparation  for  the  History  of  the  Kingdom  of  Judah 
(i  Chr.  I  to  10) 

Mankind  is  ultimately  one  ;  but  Israel  is  the  people  The  choice 
elect.   For,  of  the  three  great  families  of  men,  the  Sem-  God '^''^  ^^ 
ites  were  chosen  above  the  others  ;  and  of  the  sons  of  (i) 
Abraham  the  Semite,    Isaac  was    chosen   above   the 
others;  and  of  Isaac's  sons,  Israel  was  chosen  above 
Esau. 

Of  Israel's  sons,  Judah  was  chosen  above  the  others.  The  tribe  of 
for  he  was  the  ancestor  of  David.  To  this  tribe  belong  ^^"/^^ 
also  Caleb  and  Jerahmeel,  whose  descendants  shared 
Judah's  territory  and  fortunes. 

The  throne  of  Judah  was  occupied  by  an  unbroken  The  line  of 
line  of  David's  descendants  for  over  four  hundred  years  ^^^ 
— till  the  exile  ;  and  the  line,   including  Zerubbabel, 
who  was  prince  of  Judah  under  Persia,  in  520  B.  C, 
has  continued  to  this  day.^ 

The  genealogies  '^  of  the  families  of  Judah  are  taken  Notices  of 
from  ancient  records.    Then  follow  the  genealogies  of  (".  j.23)^ 
the  prosperous  and  energetic  Simeon,  of  Reuben,  and  ^^"^^^°" 
of  Gad.    The  last  two  tribes,  with  the  half  tribe  of  Reuben. 

Gad,  and 
1  Six  generations  afterward,  in  the  Hebrew  text ;  eleven,  in  LXX.  East  Manas- 

'  Mainly  topographical.  ^®^  (s) 

287 


I  Chronicles  5  :  25  The  Messages  of 

Manasseh,  forgetting  the  God  who  had  given  them  their 
territory  by  defeating  their  enemies  in  battle,  and  turn- 
ing to  the  worship  of  other  gods,  were  carried  away 
into  captivity  by  the  Assyrian  king'  in  execution  of 
Jehovah's  purpose. 
The  tribe  of      Of  great  importance  ^  is  the  tribe  of  Levi,  with  its 
(6^^1-53)       ^^"^  °^  high-priests  running  from  Aaron  to  the  time 
of  the  exile,   and   its   three   guilds  of  singers   estab- 
lished by  David,  connected  with  the  three  Levitical 
families. 
Levitical  The  three  clans  of  Levites  lived  in  forty-eight  cities 

ST54-81)     drawn  from  the  other  tribes,  and  assigned  by  lot,  of 
which  thirteen  cities  fell  to  the  priests  in  what  was 
afterwards  the  kingdom  of  Judah. 
Issachar,  After  the  genealogies  of  Issachar,  Naphtali,  Manas- 

Manasseh,     ^eh,  Ephraim,  and  Asher,  comes  that  of  Benjamin,  the 
Ephraim       tribe  of  Saul  whosc  family  was  still  represented  even 

Asher  (7),  i.  M-  -i.      ^ 

Benjamin (8)  in  the  post-cxilic  Community,^ 

Chief  fami-  After  the  restoration  that  followed  the  return  from 
saiemihS  ^xile,  Jerusalem,  the  capital,  was  the  residence  of  the 
therestora-  chiefs  of  certain  clans,  also  of  certain  priests  and 
(9 : 1-34)  Levites.  There  dwelt  gatekeepers  for  the  temple, 
who  were  assisted  every  week  in  rotation  by  brethren 
from  the  villages.     Singers  also  dwelt  there,  and  others 

•  1  Neither  in  2  K.  15  :  29  in  the  deportation  of  734  B.  C,  nor  in  2  K.  17 :  6 

in  that  which  followed  the  capture  of  Samaria  in  721  B.  C,  do  these  tribes 
receive  special  mention. 

'  Two  of  the  lists  are  twice  repeated:  16-30,  31-48  and  4-8,  49-53. 
3  8  :  29-38  repeated  in  9  :  35-44. 

288 


the  Historians  i  Chronicles  13:4 

who  had  the  supervision  of  the  tabernacle  furniture  or 

service. 

The  death  of  Saul (i  S.  31)  (10  :  1-12) 

Saul  died  because  of  his  disobedience  to  the  divine  The  reason 

word,  and  because  he  consulted  one  that  had  a  familiar  sad ^atl^^ 

spirit,  and  did  NOT  inquire  of  Jehovah.  (10 :  13, 14) 

2.    The  History  of  the  Kingdom  of  Judah  (i  Chr.  11  to 
2  Chr.  36) 

(i)  David  {1  Chr.  ii  to  29) 

David  is  anointed  King  over  Israel :  he  seizes  Jerusa-  (n :  1-9) 
lem (2  S.  5  :  1-3,  6-10) 

David's  mighty  men  .         .         .  (2  S.  23  :  1-39)  („  .  ,<^4,a)i 

During  his  outlawry,  David  was  joined  both  in  south  Wan-iors 
and   north  by  a  brave  and  ever-increasing   band — in- ^^°jjj°^"^^ 
eluding  even  men  of  Saul's  own  tribe — till  it  grew  to  (12 : 1-22) 
be  a  great  host  like  the  host  of  God. 

Great  numbers  of  armed  men  from  all  the  tribes,  be-  Warriors 
ginning  with  Judah,  came  to  Hebron  to  turn  the  king-  ^^^a^ke^hfm 
dom  of  Saul  to  David,  according  to  the  word  of  Jeho-  ^^^g 
vah.     Warriors  and  people  alike  were  unanimous  to 
make  him  king. 

He  received  the  assent  of  the  congregation  to  his  David's  pro- 
proposal  to   gather  their  brethren   throughout  Israel  STo^e  the ^' 
together  with  the  priests  and  the  Levites  for  the  pur-  ^^ ^ 
pose  of  bringing  up  the  ark  of  God  to  Jerusalem  ;  and 

1  n  :  4i*'-47  supplements  the  list  in  2  S.  by  several  names. 
289 


I  Chronicles  13:5  The  Messages  of 

he  gathered  all  Israel  together  from  the  utmost  limit 
of  the  land. 

(13 :  6-14)         The  ark  is  brought  to  the  house  of  Obed- 

edom (2  S.  6  :  2-11) 

(14:1,2)  Hiram  assists  David         .         .         .        (28.5:11,12) 

{14:3-7)  David's  sons (2  S.  5  :  13-16) 

(14:8-16)         The  Philistine  defeat       .         .        .         (2  S.  5  :  17-25) 

(14 :  12)  David  commanded  that  the  gods   abandoned  by  the 

Philistines  BE  BURNED   WITH  FIRE      .  (2  S.  5  :  2l) 

The  fame  of     His  fame  was  world  wide,  and  a  divine  terror  of  him 

?iT!%)       ^^y  "P°"  ^^^  ^^^  nations. 

Theprepa-       David  gathered  together  the  priests  and  the  Levites 
the°em?Jal  *°  bring  up  the  ark  after  duly  sanctifying  themselves  ; 
of  the  ark     and,  in  strict  accordance  with  the  Mosaic  law,  he  pro- 
ho°i^e  of       vided  that  the  ark  be  borne  by  the  Levites.     At  his 
Obed-edom   suggestion,  too,  the  Levites  instituted  a  musical  ser- 
vice which  was  in  charge  of  Heman,  Asaph,  and  Ethan. 
(15  :  25  to         The  ark  is  brought  to  Zion    .         .         (2  S.  6  :  12^-193) 
The^musical     ^^^^^  arranging  for  the  service  of  the  ark,  David  or- 
service         daiued  that  thanks  be  offered  by  Asaph  and  his  breth- 
'^^        ren,  and  three  thanksgiving  psalms  were  sung  in  whole 
or  in  part.^ 
Provision         Then  he  established  for  all  time  the  service  of  sacri- 
daVy  service  ^^^  ^°^  song,  the  former  in  conformity  with  the  Mo- 
(16  :  37-43)    saic  law. 

(17)  David  is  refused  permission  to  build  the  temple,  but  is 

promised  an  everlasting  kingdom  (2  S.  7). 

1  These  were  the  105th,  the  96th,  and  the  io6th. 
290 


the  Historians  i  Chronicles  22:11 

David's  wars  and  court       .         .         .         .         (2  S.  8)  (18) 

David's  acquisitions  of  bronze  were  devoted  by  Sol-  (18  :  8) 
omon  to  the  temple  vessels.' 

The  sons  of   David  were   CHIEF  ABOUT  THE  (18:17) 

KING (2  S.  8  :  18) 

The  war  with  Ammon  .         .         .  (2  S.  10  :  i  to  11  :  i)  ^^9  =  i  to 

^  '  20  :  i) 

The  defeat  of  Ammon  .         .         .         (2  S.  12  :  30,  31)  (20  :  2, 3) 
The  exploits  of  David's  heroes      .  (2  S.  21  :  18-22)  (20:  4-8) 

Elhanan  slew  THE  BROTHER  OF  Goliath  (2  S.  21  :  19)  (20: 5) 
David's  census  and  its  results    .         .         .         (2  S.  24)  (21) 
SATAN  moved  David  to  number  Israel      .    (2  S.  24  :  i)  (21 : 1) 
David  saw  the  angel  of  Jehovah  standing  between  (21 :  16) 
earth   and  heaven  with   a   drawn   sword   in   his  hand 
stretched  out  over  Jerusalem. 

He   paid    Oman    SIX  HUNDRED  SHEKELS  OF  (21 :  25) 

GOLD (2  S.  24  :  24) 

Jehovah  answered  David's  offering  by  fire  from  heav-  (21 :  26  to 
en  ;  so   he  sacrificed   there.     For  fear  of  the   angel's  ^* '  ^^ 
drawn  sword  had  kept  him  from  going  to  the  high  place 
of  Gibeon,  where  was  the  tabernacle  of  Jehovah  that 
Moses  had  made. 

On  a  magnificent  scale  David  amassed  material  for  Davids 
the  building  of  the  temple— metal  and  wood  and  money  foJK^em-^ 
in  abundance,  a  hundred  thousand  talents  of  gold  and  a  v^^>  and  his 
million  of  silver  ;  for  the  fame  of  the  temple  must  reach  Sofomon° 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth.     With  its  erection  he  charged  ^^^^ 
his  son  Solomon,  born  as  he  was  to  be  a  man  of  peace, 

*  Suggested  perhaps  by  2  Sam.  8  :  11. 
291 


I  Chronicles  22  :  12  The  Messages  of 

with  the  prayer  that  he  might  have  wisdom  given  him 
to  keep  the  ancient  law  of  Moses ;   and  he  bade  the 
princes  help  him. 
The  organ-       To  the  Levites  over  thirty  ^  years  of  age,  whom  the 
5^^^^°^^°^  ^'^^  census  showed  to  number  thirty-eight  thousand,  vari- 
(23)  ous  duties  v/ere  assigned — the  administration  of  jus- 

tice,*  the   keeping  of  the  gates,   the   conduct   of  the 
service   of  praise,   but  chiefly  that  of  waiting  on  the 
priests.     The  courses  were  divided  among  the  three 
clans  of  Levi. 2 
The  priests       Further,  David  divided  the  priests  into  twenty-four 

^  courses. 

The  singers       He  also  entrusted  the  musical  service  to  twenty-four 
^^^^  courses  of  singers  of  the  families  of  Asaph,  Jeduthun, 

and  Heman— each  course  consisting  of  twelve  Levites 
who  were  all  instructed  in  sacred  song,  and  could  play 
skilfully  on  instruments  of  music. 
Leviticai  Levites  were  also  appointed  to  keep  the  gates  on 

officers  {26)  g^gj.y  gjjjg^  ^Q  superintend  the  temple  treasuries,  and  to 
engage  in  outside  service  such  as  the  administration  of 
justice. 
Army  and         The  army  was  organized  in  twelve  divisions,  each 
offidals  (27)  division  consisting  of  twenty-four  thousand  men,  under 
a  captain  of  its  own.     Over  each  tribe'*  was  a  prince, 

1  So  V.  3,  cf.  Num.  4  :  35.     The  age  is  modified  to  25  in  Num.  8  :  23-26, 
and  still  further  to  20  in  v.  24  of  this  chapter  (i  Chr.  23). 

2  Cf.  2  Chr.  19  :  8. 

3  The  families  composing  the  clans  are  recorded  in  6-23,  the  list  of  the 
Kohathites  and  jNIerarites  being  repeated  with  some  additions  in  24  :  20-31. 

*  Gad  and  Asher  are  omitted. 

292 


the  Historians  i  Chronicles  29 


and  besides  other  officials,  twelve  officers  were  in  charge 

of  David's  personal  property  in  city  and  country. 

David,  having  summoned  all  the  civil  and  military  David's 

dignitaries  of  the  kingdom  to  Jerusalem,  and  reminded  soiomon° 

them  how  God  had  chosen   himself  and  Solomon   and  ^"d  ^^^ 

people  (28) 
the  tribe  of  Judah,  solemnly  charged  them  to  keep  his 

commandments  and  bade  Solomon  address  himself  with 
sincerity,  faith,  and  courage  to  the  task  to  which  God 
had  called  him,  even  the  building  of  the  temple.  He 
gave  Solomon  a  plan  of  the  temple  with  all  its  furniture 
and  sundry  other  details,  the  pattern  of  which  he  had 
himself  received  from  the  hand  of  God  ;  and  he  strength- 
ened him  with  the  assurance  of  all  help,  human  and 
divine. 

In  addition  to  the  abundant  and  costly  material  David  The  offer- 
had  already  amassed  for  the  temple,  he  announced,  be-  ("9^.  ^.^j 
fore  the  whole  congregation,  a  magnificent  gift  of  gold 
and  silver  out  of  his  own  private  fortune.  Then  he 
made  the  appeal,  "  Who  offereth  willingly  to  conse- 
crate himself  this  day?  " — an  appeal  which  met  with  a 
response  no  less  hearty  than  splendid. 

David  then  offered  a  prayer  of  thanksgiving  to  Jeho-  David's 
vah  on  this  wise  :  "  Thou  art  the  great  and  glorious  fJg^To-ig) 
lord  of  all,  and  who  are  we  to  offer  gifts  to  thee  ?  We 
are  but  strangers  and  sojourners.  Our  gifts  are  but 
thine  own  given  back  to  thee.  Searcher  of  hearts  1  in 
all  sincerity  we  offer  these  our  gifts.  God  of  our  fa- 
thers, evermore  grant  to  thy  people  and  to  my  son  a 
heart  that  is  fixed  on  thee." 

293 


I  Chronicles  29  :  20  The  Messages  of 

Thesacri-  The  people  responded  and  bowed  in  worship.  On 
%^^'  20-22")  *h6  "6^^  <l^y  ^^^y  offered  sacrifices  unstinted  in  num- 
ber, and  ate  and  drank  before  their  God  with  great 
gladness. 
Theacces-  Solomon  was  anointed  king,  receiving  the  submis- 
sion of  Solo-  gjQj^  q£  ^jjg  princes  and  the  obedience  of  the  people,  and 

men  ^  .  1      J 

(29:22b.25)  Jehovah  bestowed  on  him  such  royal  majesty  as   had 

not  been  on  any  king  before  him  in  Israel. 
The  sources      The  history  of  David  is  written  in  the  books  of  Sam- 
bio?-phy     "el,  Nathan,  and  Gad. 

(29  :  26-30) 

(2)  Solomon  (2  Chr.  i  to  9) 

(1)  Solomon's  dream  at  Gibeon      .         .        (i  K.  3  : 4-15) 

(i :  3-5)  Solomon  and  all  the  congregation  with  him  went  to 
the  high  place  that  was  at  Gibeon.  FOR,  THOUGH  THE 
ARK  HAD  BEEN  TAKEN  TO  JERUSALEM  BY  DA  VID, 
THE  TENT  OF  MEETING  WHICH  MOSES  HAD  MADE, 
AND  THE  ANCIENT  ALTAR  OF  BRONZE  WERE  IN 
GIBEON (I  K.  3  :  4) 

(1 :  15)  Solomon  made  gold  to  be  as  stones  in  Jerusalem. 

(2  :  I,  2, 18)      Preparations  for  the  building  of  the  temple 

(iK.  5:  5.  15.  16) 

(2  :  4)  Solomon  informs  Hiram  that  the  object  of  the  temple 

to  be  built  is  to  burn  incense  before  Jehovah,  and  to 
offer  the  continual  shew  bread,  and  the  burnt  offerings 
morning  and  evening  on  the  Sabbaths,  new  moons,  and 
set  feasts  of  Jehovah. 

(2:3-16)  His  negotiations  with  Hiram     .         .         (i  K.  5  :  2-11) 

294 


the  Historians  2  Chronicles  6  :  42 

For  the  building  of  the  temple  Solomon  raised  a  levy  (2  :  17) 

of   the  STRANGERS^   in   Israel,    and    they   numbered 

153,600  men  .        .        .        .        .      (iK.  5:13) 

The  temple  and  its  vessels       .         .  (i  K.  6  and  7)  (3  and  4) 

The  temple  was  built  on  Mount  Moriah,  where  Je-  (3  ••  0 

hovah  had  appeared  to  David  in  the  threshing  floor  of 

Ornan.2 
Gold  was  used  in  profusion.  (3  =  5-9) 

A    VEIL  separated  the  holy    place  from  the  most  (3 :  14) 

holy  3 (i  K.  6  :  31,  32) 

Solomon  made  an  altar  of  bronze.*  (4 :  i) 

He  made  ten  tables  and  a  hundred  basins  of  gold,  (4 :  8, 9) 

TWO  courts,*  and  brass  covered  doors  for  the   outer 

doorway. 

The  ark  brought  into  the  temple   .         .  (i  K.  8  :  i-ii)  (5) 
The  LEVITES  took  up  the  ark      .        .        (i  K.  8  :  3)  (5 :  4) 
While  the  music  and  song  of  thanksgiving  were  be-  (5  :  iib-i3a) 

ing  raised  by  the  Levites,  the  temple  was  filled  with  a 

cloud. 
The  dedication  and  prayer  ^   .         .         (i  K.  8  :  12-50)  (6: 1-42) 
Solomon  offered  his  dedicatory  prayer  from  a  small  (6 :  13) 

platform  which  he  had   erected  in  the  midst   of  the 

court. 

*  This  view  finds  expression  in  the  later  stratum  of  Kings  (i  K.  9  :  22). 

2  I  Chr.  21  :  i8  ff. 

3  In  Kings,  doors  of  olive  wood. 

*  Not  mentioned  in  i  K.  7,  but  implied  in  2  K.  16  :  14  and  elsewhere. 

*  So  in  the  second  temple,  but  not  in  Solomon's ;  cf.  note  on  2  K.  21  :  5. 

*  The  prayer  concludes  (6  :  41,  42)  with  a  quotation  from  Psalm  132  :  9, 10. 


2  Chronicles  7:1  'The  Messages  of 

(7:4,5,7-10)     Conclusion  of  the  dedication  ceremonies 

(I  K.  8  :  62-66) 

(7  : 1-3)  When  Solomon  ceased  praying,  fire  came  down  from 

heaven,  and  consumed  the  burnt  offering  and  the  sacri- 
fice, and  the  glory  of  Jehovah  filled  the  house,  so  that 
the  priests  could  not  enter  in  ;  and  the  people  saw,  and 
bowed  in  worship,  and  gave  thanks. 

(7 :  6)  The  people  stood,  while  the  Levites  sounded  their 

instruments  of  music,  and  the  priests  their  trumpets. 

(7  :  10)  Solomon  dismissed  the  people  on  the  NINTH  ^  day 

(I  K.  8  :  66) 

(7  :  11-22)         Jehovah  acknowledges  Solomon's  sacrifice  ;  he  promises 
and  warns (i  K.  9  :  1-9) 

(8)  Solomon's  fortifications  and  trade     .       (i  K.  9  :  10-28) 

(8 : 2)  Solomon    fortified    the    cities    which    HIRAM   HAD 

GIVEN  HIM  and  caused  the  children  of  Israel  to  dwell 
in  them. 

(8  :  3.5)  He  seized  Hamath,  fortified  Tadmor,^  the  two  Beth- 

horons  and  certain  store  cities  in  Hamath. 

(8 :  11)  Solomon  brought  up  Pharaoh's  daughter  out  of  the  city 

of  David  into  the  house  that  he  had  built  for  her :  FOR 
HE  SAID  ''MY  WIFE^  SHALL  NOT  DWELL  IN  THE 
HOUSE  OF  DAVID,  BECAUSE  THE  PLACES  ARE 
HOLY  WHERE  UN  TO  THE  ARK  OF  JEHOVAH  HATH 

COME  '• (I  K.  3  :  I  ;  9  :  24^) 

Solomon  regulated  his  burnt  offerings  by  the  law  of 

1  23d  day  of  the  month  :  cf.  Num.  29  :  12-40. 

'  Possibly  a  shp  for  Tamar  fa  fortress  in  Judah  ?) 

•  Or  "  No  woman  shall  dwell,  etc." 

296 


tJie  Historians  2  Chronicles  11 :  17 

Moses,  and  in  accordance  with  David's  instructions,  Solomon's 
he  appointed  the  courses  of  the  priests  and  the  Levites  ga'Sfiation 
to  their  several  duties. '  (8  :  12-16) 

The  visit  of  the  Queen  of  Sheba.     Solomon's  splendor.  (9) 
The  records  of  his  reign     .      (i  K.  10  :  1-29  ;  11  :  41-43) 

Solomon's  throne  had  a  footstool  of  gold.  (9 :  18) 

(3)  From  the  Disruption  to  the  Captivity  (2  Chr.  10  to  36) 

(a)    The  Division  of  the  Kingdom  (2  Chr.  10  :  i  to  ll  :  4) 

The  division  of  the  Kingdom      .         .     (iK. 12:1-1 9)  (10) 
The  intervention  of  the  prophet  Shemaiah  (n  :  1-4) 

(i  K.  12  :  21-24) 

(b)  Rehoboam  (2  Chr.  11  :  5  to  12  :  16) 

Rehoboam  fortified  fifteen  cities  in  Judah  and  Ben-  Rehoboam's 
jamin,  the  two  tribes  whose  allegiance  he  retained.^        (iff's'lfj)'"^ 

The  faithful  priests  and  Levites,  driven  out  of  the 
northern  Kingdom  by  Jeroboam,  who  put  in  their  places  Rehoboam 
the  idolatrous  priests  of  the  calf  worship,  resorted,  ^e^faUhful 
with  all  the  faithful,  to  Judah  and  Jerusalem,  where,  f^^J-Jg^"'^ 
under  Rehoboam's  patronage,  they  for  a  time  strength-  (n  :  13-17) 
ened  both  him  and  his  kingdom. 

He  had  many  wives  and  concubines,  and  he  distrib- 

^  Compare  the  statement  in  the  later  stratum  of  Kings  (i  K.  9 :  25). 

'  The  loyalty  of  Benjamin  seems  also  to  be  implied  by  14  :  8;  15  :  2,  8,  9. 
But  considering  that  this  was  Saul's  tribe,  it  is  very  improbable,  and  is 
contradicted  by  i  K.  12  :  20.  "  Secured  "  would  be  a  possible  rendering  of 
the  Hebrew. 

297 


2  Chronicles  ii :  23  The  Messages  of 

Hisapos-      uted   his  numerous  children   throughout  the    fortified 

(?i^  18  to     cities.     When  his  kingdom  was  established,  he  for- 

12 :  i)  sook  the  law  of  Jehovah  and  all  Israel  with  him. 

The  inva-         So  for  their  sin  Shishak,  king  of  Egypt,  came  with 

Shrshak,       countless  hosts,  and  after  seizing  the   fortified  cities 

Shemaiah's  reached  Jerusalem.    Then  a  prophet  announced  to  the 

popular'       assembled  court  that  this  invasion  was  the  divine  pun- 

fiT^Tsf      ishment  for  sin.     On  their  humble  confession,  however, 

he  promised  that  the  wrath  of  Jehovah  would  not  be 

poured  out  upon  Jerusalem,  though  they  would  indeed 

be  Shishak's  servants. 

(12:9-11,13)     Shishak  carries  off  the  treasures  of  temple  and  palace 

(i  K.  14  :  25-28,  31) 
(12 :  12,  14)       The  wrath  of  Jehovah  was  turned  from  the  king, 
when  he  humbled  himself.     He  did  that  which  was  evil, 
because  he  set  not  his  heart  to  seek  Jehovah.^ 

(c)  Abijah  (2  Chr.  13) 
Abijah's  Abijah  of  Judah  with  four  hundred  thousand  men  and 

(?3r3-i2)  Jeroboam  of  Israel  with  an  army  twice  as  large,  met 
to  do  battle.  Abijah  addressed  Jeroboam  and  his  army, 
reminding  them  that  the  kingdom  of  Israel  belonged  to 
David  and  his  descendants  by  divine  right.  Jeroboam 
was  an  unworthy  rebel.  They  need  not  think  to  win 
the  day,  despite  the  great  multitude  and  the  golden 
calves,  for  they  had  cast  out  the  priests  and  Levites 
and  abandoned  the  true  worship  for  idolatry.  But 
Judah    had  been  faithful ;  with  her  were  priests  and 

»  For  12  :  15,  16,  cf.  i  K.  14  :  30,  31. 
298 


the  Historians     •  2  Chronicles  14:  15 

Levites  who  had  with  unfailing  scrupulousness  per- 
formed all  the  duties  appertaining  to  the  house  of  God. 
"  God  is  at  our  head,"  he  concluded  :  "  his  priests  will 
sound  an  alarm  against  you.  Fight  not  a  vain  fight 
against  the  God  of  your  fathers." 

To  this  speech  Jeroboam  replied  by  setting  an  am-  His  victory 
bush  for  the  men  of  Judah.     When  they  saw  how  they  boam"^^'^° 
were  surrounded,  they  sent  up  a  shout  to  Jehovah,  and  (^3  :  13-22) 
the    priests    sounded  the   trumpets.     In  answer,  God 
smote  Israel,  so  that  half  a  million  were  slain.     Thus 
the  men  of  Judah  prevailed,  because  they  leaned  upon 
Jehovah,  God  of  their  fathers. 

(d)  Asa  (2  Chr.  14  to  16) 

Asa's  religious  reforms  .        .        (i  K.  15  :  8-12)  (14: 1.5) 

Asa  commanded  Judah  to  seek  Jehovah  and  to  do  (14 : 4,  5) 
the  law  and  the  commandments.    He  ALSO  REMOVED 
THE  HIGH  PLACES'       .         .         .  .  (i  K.  15  :  14) 

He  profited  by  the  ten  years  of  rest  to  fortify  certain  Asa's  fortifi- 
cities  in  Judah  ;  and  his  army,  drawn  from  Judah  and  ^rmy"^  ^^^ 
Benjamin,  numbered  over  half  a  million.  (m  :  6-8) 

Now  Zerah  the   Ethiopian    invaded  Judah  with  a  Asa  defeats 
million  men.     Then    Asa    cried   earnestly  for  help  to  p^J^nf  ^^'°' 
God  ;  and  he  heard  him  and  smote  the  Ethiopians.     In  (  h  :  9-15) 
their  flight  southward,  they  were  utterly  routed    by 
Judah,  who  captured  immense  booty. 

The  returning  army  was  met  and  addressed  by  the 
prophet  Azariah.     He  pointed  the  moral  of  the  earlier 

1  Contradicts  15  :  17,  as  well  as  i  K.  15  :  14. 
299 


2  Chronicles  15: 1  The  Messages  of 

The  exhor-   history :  how  that  often,  after  God  had  suffered  them  to 
AzL^riah  ;      he  gricvously  oppressed,  and  bereft  of  divine  enlighten- 
Asas  reform  ment,  bccause  of  their  sin,  he  yet  was  found  of  them  when 
they  sought  him.     Let  them  then  face  with  energy  the 
work  that  lay  before  them,  in  the  sure  hope  of  reward. 
Thus  encouraged,  Asa  at  once  addressed  himself  to  a 
religious  reform  ;  and,  stimulated  by  his  enthusiasm,  a 
great  public  gathering  at  Jerusalem  solemnly  resolved 
to  seek  their  God  with  all  their  heart,  those  refusing 
to  be  punished  with  death.     Jehovah  showed  his  favor 
by  giving  them  rest. 
(15: 16-18)       Concluding  notice  of  the  reformation  (i  K.  15  :  13-15) 
(15:19)  There   was    NO    WAR    UNTIL    THE    THIRTY-FIFTH 

YEAR  OF  ASA'S  REIGN^    .  .  .  (l  K.  15  :  16) 

(16:1-6)  Asa's  war  with  Israel         .         .         .    (i  K.  15  :  17-22) 

Hanani's  After  Asa  had  bribed  Benhadad  of  Aram  to  divert 

reproof  of     gaasha  of  Israel  from  Judah  by  attacking  him,  Hanani 
(16  :  7-10)     the  seer  announced  to  him  that  for  his  folly  in  leaning 
upon  the  king  of   Aram,   forgetful  of  the   God    who 
sleeplessly  guarded  the  interests  of  all   men  every- 
where, whose  heart  was  perfect  toward  him,  and  who 
had  delivered  him  from  the  huge  and  formidable  hosts 
of  the  Ethiopians,  from  henceforth  he  would  be  vexed 
with  wars.     The  angry  king  straightway  put  the  seer 
in  prison. 
(16: 11-14)        Sickness,  death,  and  burial  of  Asa   .     (i  K.  15  :  23,  24) 
(16 :  12, 14)       In  his  old  age,  Asa  was  sore  diseased  in  his  feet ; 

»  In  the  Hebrew  this  verse  reads,  "  and  there  was  no  war,"  etc. 
300 


the  Historians  2  Chronicles  18  134 

yet  he  sought  not  Jehovah,  but  the  physicians.    His 
burial  was  celebrated  with  great  honors. 

(e)  yehoshaphat  (2  Chr.  17  to  20) 

Asa's    son   and   successor  Jehoshaphat    garrisoned  Jehosha- 
Judah  and  certain   cities  of  Ephraim.     Jehovah  gave  ^erUy  ^'°" 
him  prosperity  and    honor  because  he  walked  in  his  ('7 : 1-6) 
commandments  and  not  after  the  doings  of  Israel  :  for 
example,   HE  REMOVED    THE  HIGH  PLACES'"    (i    K. 
22  :  43). 

To  spread  the  knowledge   of  the  law  of  Jehovah  The  book  of 
among  his  people,  he  had  them  instructed  by  a  circuit  [aSihr 
commission  composed  of  civil  and  religious  dignitaries,  (^7 :  7-9) 
who  expounded  the  book  of  the  law.^ 

His  piety  was  rewarded  with  peace  ;  for  the  fear  of  Jehosha- 
Jehovah  restrained  the  surrounding  nations  from  going  powe? 
to  war  with  Jehoshaphat.     He  even  received  tribute  (^7 :  1019) 
from  Philistines  and  Arabians.     He  grew  in  power  and 
prosperity,  and  his  army  numbered  considerably  over 
a  million  men. 

Ahab  and  Jehoshaphat  attack  Ramoth  in  Gilead  :  Ahab  (18) 
is  slain (i  K.  22  :  1-35) 

In  the  battle  Jehoshaphat   cried  out,  and  Jehovah  (18 :  31) 
helped  him,  and  God  '  moved  them  to  depart  from  him. 

J  Compare  2  Chr.  20  :  33. 

2  To  the  Chronicler,  this  would  be  the  Pentateuch.     It  may  in  reality 
have  been  the  Book  of  the  Covenant  (Ex.  20  :  22  to  23  :  33). 

3  Notice  the  curious  transition   in   the  names  of  God :  of.  20  :  29,  and 
especially  26  :  5. 

301 


2  Chronicles  19:1 


The  Messages  of 


Jehosha- 
phat  re- 
proved by  a 
seer 
(19  :  1-4) 


His  judicial 
system 
(19  :  s-ii) 


Projected 
attack  on 
Judah : 
Jehosha- 
phat's 
prayer 
(20  :  1.13) 


Jehovah's 
signal   vic- 
tory 
(20  :  14-30) 


Jehoshaphat,  on  his  return  from  Ramoth  to  Jerusalem, 
was  met  by  Jehu  the  seer,  who  threatened  him  with  the 
wrath  of  Jehovah  for  assisting  the  ungodly  king  of 
Israel.  Then  the  king  instituted  an  earnest  reform 
throughout  the  land. 

He  established  a  judicial  system,  appointing  judges 
in  various  cities  of  Judah,  and  charging  them  to  be,  as 
before  God,  incorruptible  and  impartial  in  the  admin- 
istration of  justice.  In  Jerusalem,  too,  he  appointed 
a  court  of  appeal,  consisting  of  Levites,  priests,  and 
heads  of  fathers'  houses,  with  presiding  officers,  to  de- 
cide sincerely,  as  before  God,  disputed  cases  carried  to 
them  from  the  cities. 

Jehoshaphat,  hearing  that  an  invading  army  of  Mo- 
abites.  Ammonites,  and  Meunim  had  reached  the  west- 
ern shore  of  the  Dead  Sea,  proclaimed  a  fast  through- 
out Judah,  and,  before  the  congregation  assembled  at 
the  temple,  prayed  that  the  God  who  rules  over  all  and 
whose  might  is  irresistible,  the  God  who  had  given  the 
land  to  the  seed  of  Abraham  his  friend  forever,  the  God 
whose  sanctuary  was  the  pledge  that  he  would  hear 
and  save  all  who  cried  to  him — that  this  their  God 
would  help  them  against  the  invaders  whose  land  had 
been  spared  by  Israel,  when  they  came  up  out  of  Eg^ypt. 
*'We  have  no  might,"  he  prayed,  "neither  know  we 
what  to  do,  but  our  eyes  are  upon  thee." 

Then  the  spirit  of  Jehovah  came  upon  a  certain  Le- 
vite.  He  counselled  them  to  go  out  against  the  enemy 
confidently  on  the  morrow.  They  would  not  need  to 
302 


the  Historians  2  Chronicles  21 :  12 


fight.  Jehovah  would  himself  save  them.  "  The  bat- 
tle is  not  yours,"  he  said,  ''but  God's."  Whereupon 
king  and  people  bowed  in  worship,  and  the  Levites 
sang  praises.  Forth  they  went  on  the  morrow,  the 
king  earnestly  exhorting  them  to  believe  in  their  God 
and  in  his  prophets  ;  for  faith  would  be  crowned  with 
victory.  He  appointed  singers  to  precede  the  army 
and  sing  praises  to  Jehovah.  No  sooner  had  they  be- 
gun than  Jehovah  created  a  panic  among  the  enemy, 
and  they  fell  to  slaying  one  another ;  so  that  when 
Judah  came  up  they  found  the  enemy  all  dead,  and 
abundance  of  spoil.  This  gathered,  they  held  a  meeting 
for  thanksgiving  in  the  valley  thenceforward  known  as 
the  Valley  of  Blessing. 

Jehoshaphat  JOINED  Ahaziah  of  Israel   in  naval  en-  (20 :  35-37) 
terprise,  and  for  his  wickedness  his  ships  were  wrecked, 
as  a  prophet  had  announced        .         .         (i  K.  22  :  49) 

(f)  Jehoratn    (2  Chr.  21) 

Jehoshaphat's  son  and  successor,  Jehoram,  murdered  Jehoram 
his  brothers  and  certain  of  the  princes.  hxotirs  ^'' 

Jehoram's  idolatry  ;  the  revolt  of  Edom  and  Libnah       j^J ;  ^r^) 

(2  K.  8  :  1 7-22)  (31":  10,  ii) 

Libnah  revolted  from  Jehoram,  because  he  had  for- 
saken Jehovah,  the  God  of  his  fathers,  and  had  led 
Judah  into  apostasy. 

Accordingly  he  received  a  letter    from   Elijah  the  Elijah's  let- 
prophet,'  announcing  a  stern  divine  judgment   on  his  Jams^cakm- 

1  Dead  already  in  Jehoshaphat's  time,  many  years  before.     2  K.  3  :  11.      j^°"f  ^"*^  ^ 


2  Chronicles  21 :  12  The  Messages  of 

sins  of  apostasy  and  murder  ;  and  the  prophetic  word 
was  fulfilled.  His  land  and  family  suffered  from  raids 
of  the  Philistines  and  Arabians.  He  himself  died  of  a 
sore  disease,  and  was  buried  in  the  city  of  David,  but 
NOTivi.  the  sepulchres  of  the  kings        .        (2  K.  8  :  24) 

(g)  Ahaziah  (2  Chr.  22  :  1-9) 

(22 : 1-6)  Ahaziah  :  his  alliance  with  Joram  '    .    (2  K.  8  :  24*^-29) 

Ahaziah's         The  divine  judgment  which  Jehu  executed  on  Joram 
^°2°fl.Q)       fell  upon  Ahaziah  too  ;  but  he  received  burial,  because 
he  was  the  son  of  the  faithful  Jehoshaphat. 

(h)  Athaliah  (2  Chr.  22  :  10  to  23  :  21) 

(22:101023:     The  usurpation   of   Athaliah    and    revolution    carried 
'^^'  through  by  Jehoiada  ^         .        .         .         .         (2  K.  11) 

(23:2,4,6-8)  Jehoiada  gathered  the  Levites  and  the  heads  of  fa- 
thers' houses  to  Jerusalem.  PRIESTS  AND  LEVITES 
WERE  TO  ACT  AS  DOORKEEPERS,  AND  NONE  BUT 
THEY^  MIGHT  ENTER  THE  TEMPLE.  The  LEVITES 
were  to  surround  the  king.  The  Levites  and  all  Judah 
carried  out  Jehoiada's  instructions     .     .     (2  K.  11  :  4-9) 

*  Ahaziah  was  42  years  of  age  at  his  accession,  according  to  v.  2.  In 
2  K.  8  :  26,  he  is  only  22.  That  is  practically  supported  by  LXX  of  this 
passage,  which  makes  his  age  20. 

"^  Essentially  the  same  as  2  K.  11  :  4-20,  with  the  very  significant  substitu- 
tion of  Levites  for  a  bodyguard.  Naturally  singers  and  players  (ordained 
by  David,  v.  18)  are  introduced  (v.  13),  and  the  temple  offices  are  distrib- 
uted on  the  basis  of  David's  organization  (v.  i8). 

3  In  2  K.  II  :  II  it  w^s  lay  guards  who  were  in  the  temple. 


the  Historians  2  Chronicles  25  : 4 

(i)  Joash  (2  Chr.  24) 

Joash  :  his  restoration  of  the  temple  (24 : 1-14) 

(2  K.  II  :  21  to  12: 14) 

Joash  brought  Jehoiada  to  account  for  not  INSISTING  (24  :  6,  9) 
THAT   THE  LEVITES  SHOULD   SECURE  FROM  THE 
CITIES  OF  yUDAH  THE  TEMPLE  TAX  WHICH  MOSES 
HAD  LAID  UPON  ISRAEL  IN  THE  WILDERNESS  1 

(2  K.  12  :  4-8) 
SACRED  VESSELS  WERE  MADE  OUT  OF  THE  SUR-(24:  14) 

PLUS   MONEY (2  K.  12  :  13,  14) 

The  death  of  the  good  Jehoiada  was  the  signal  for  a  Religious 
relapse  into  idolatry.  The  warning  voices  of  the  proph-  muJdS  of^^ 
ets  were  disregarded.     One— and  that  Jehoiada's  faith-  ^^^F'^'y^^ 
ful  son — was  silenced  by  assassination,   on  the   com-  (24  :  ^5-^2) 
mand  of  the  ungrateful  king  ;  and  he  died  with  a  prayer 
on  his  lips  to  God  for  vengeance. 

Within  a  year  the  king    and   his  numerous  people  Aramean  in- 
were  humiliated  by  a  small  band  of  Aramean  invaders,  m^u^Serof 
and  finally  he  was  slain  by  his  servants  in  vengeance  Joash 
for  the  blood  of  Jehoiada's  son.'»  ^"'^  •  ^3-^7) 

(j)  Amaziah  (2  Chr.  25) 
Amaziah  :  his  vengeance  on  his  father's  murderers         (25 : 1-4) 

(2  K.  14  :  1-6) 
To  augment  still  further  his  great   army,  Amaziah 

1  Ex.  30  :  12-16  ;  a  tax  for  the  support  of  the  tabernacle  and  its  worship. 

3  On  the  Chronicler's  theory,  this  section  probably  stands  to  the  preceding 
in  the  relation  of  effect  to  cause.  The  section  to  which  it  is  parallel  is  2  K. 
12  :  17-21. 


2  Chronicles  25  :  5 


The  Messages  of 


Israelites 
hired  and 
dismissed  by 
Amaziah  ; 
his  successes 
against 
Edom 
(25  :  5-13) 


His  foolish 
idolatry 
(25  :  14-16) 


Its  conse- 
quences 
(25  :  17-28) 

{25:  27) 


hired  a  large  contingent  from  Israel ;  but  he  dismissed 
them  again  at  the  bidding  of  a  man  of  God,  who  urged 
that  Jehovah  was  not  with  Israel.  The  disbanded  men 
departed  in  anger,  attacked  and  despoiled  the  cities  of 
Judah  while  the  Judean  army  was  winning  victories 
in  Edom,  ten  thousand  of  whose  people  they  had  slain 
in  battle,  and  other  ten  thousand  by  hurling  them  from 
a  rock.^ 

Amaziah  adopted  the  gods  of  the  country  he  had  con- 
quered, and  threatened  with  violence  a  prophet  who 
pointed  out  his  folly.  Then  said  the  prophet :  "  I  know 
that  God  hath  determined  to  destroy  thee,  because 
thou  hast  done  this."    And  so  it  was. 

For  his  challenge  of  Joash  king  of  Israel  led  to  his 
defeat  and  death        .         .         .         .         (2  K.  14  :  8-20) 

The  conspiracy  which  resulted  in  his  death  had  its 
origin  in  his  apostasy. 


(26 :  1-4) 


Uzziah's  en- 
terprise in 
peace  and 
war 
(a6 :  S-15) 


(k)  Uzziah  (2  Chr.  26) 

The  excellence  and  length  of  his  reign 

(2  K.  14  :  21,  22;  15  :  1-3) 

Uzziah  prospered  as  long  as  he  sought  Jehovah.  In 
war  he  was  successful  against  the  Philistines  and 
Arabians  ;  he  received  tribute  from  the  Ammonites,  and 
his  fame  spread  far  and  wide.  He  fortified  Jerusalem, 
built  towers  in  the  desert,  encouraged  agriculture  and 

1  "  Rock  "  may  here  be  the  fortress  of  Sela,  cf.  2  K.  14  :  7.    In  any  case, 
this  passage  is  an  expansion  of  that  verse. 
306 


the  Historians  2  Chronicles  28  :  11 


maintained  a  large  standing  army,  well  equipped  with 
all  manner  of  military  appliances. 

But  prosperity  bred  pride,  and  he  presumed,  despite  The  punish- 
the  protests  of  the  priests,  to  offer  incense,  which  it  S-roglnc?'^ 
was  only  lawful  for  the  priests  to  offer.     Forthwith  on  (26  :  16-21) 
his  angry  brow  the  mark  of  leprosy  appeared,  and  in 
haste  he  left  the  temple  for  ever,  with  the  mark  of  the 
divine  punishment  upon  him. 

Concluding  notice    .        .        .        .         (2  K.  1 5  :  6,  7)  (26 :  22, 23) 

(1)  Jotham  (2  Chr.  27) 

The  length  and  nature  of  his  reign    .    (2  K.  15  :  32-35)  (27 :  i.  2) 

Jotham  extended  the  system  of  fortifications  in  Judah,  jotham's 

put  the  Ammonites  to  tribute,  and    grew  mighty  be-  [fj^f ^nd 

cause  he  ordered  his  ways  before  Jehovah  his  God.  prosperity 

Concluding  notice        .        .         .         (2  K,  1 5  :  36,  38)  (27 ':  7-9) 

(m)  Ahaz  (2  Chr.  28) 
His  grievous  idolatry        .         .         .         (2  K.  16  :  2-4)  (28: 1-4) 
He  made  molten  images  for  the  Baalim,  and  sacri-  (28 :  2,  3) 
ficed  in  the  valley  of  Hinnom. 

Ahaz,  for  his  apostasy,  sustained  a  very  grievous  The  defeat 
defeat  from  the  allied  kings  of  Aram  and  Israel,  the  pro^hJ^re-^ 
slain  and  captured  being  over  a  quarter  of  a  million,  bukes  Israel 
Then  a    prophet    addressed    the    victorious    army  of 
Israel,  telling  them  that  the  God  who  had  thus  shown 
his  anger  against  Judah  was  angry  with  them  also, 
and    urged    them   to    deliver   up    the    captives.     The 
leaders,  acknowledging  Israel's  guilt,  acted  on  his  ad- 

307 


2  Chronicles  28:  12  The  Messages  of 

vice,  and  with  noble  generosity  sent  the  captives  back 

to  Jericho. 
Raids  upon       For  the  sin  of  Ahaz  divine  judgment  fell  in  the  form 
/"g^f  J      J    of  destructive  raids  upon  Judah  by  the  Edomites  and 

the  Philistines. 
(28 ;  16,  20,      The  costly  help  of  the  Assyrian  king   TURNED  OUT 

^'^  A  DELUSION (2  K.  16  :  7-9) 

Ahaz's  idol-      Ahaz  Sacrificed  to  the  gods  of  the  victorious  Ara- 
O2T:  22-25)   "ie*"s,^  that  he  might  secure  their  help,  but  they  were 

his  ruin. 
(28:26,27)       Concluding  notice        .         .         .         (2  K.  16:19,20) 

(n)  Hezekiah    (2  Chr.  29  to  32) 

(29  : 1,  2)  The  length  and  excellence  of  Hezekiah's  reign 

(2  K.  18  :  2,  3) 
The  cleans-  In  the  very  opening  of  his  reign,  Hezekiah,  eager  to 
temple^('2^9)  "i^ke  a  Covenant  with  the  God  of  Israel,  began  his 
great  reform.  The  Levites  were  commissioned,  after 
sanctifying  themselves,  to  cleanse  the  disgraced  and 
neglected  temple,  that  so  the  wrath  of  Jehovah  might 
be  appeased.  This  order  they  promptly  executed, 
priests  and  Levites  dividing  up  the  work.  They  re- 
placed the  vessels  destroyed  by  Ahaz,^  and  informed 
the  king  on  the  completion  of  their  task.     Then  going 

1  Perhaps  "AssyriaHs"  are  intended;  the  difference  in  Hebrew  would 
not  be  great.  If,  however,  the  text  is  correct,  as  the  reference  to  Damas- 
cus suggests,  then  we  have  here  the  Chronicler's  modified  version  of  the 
Story  of  the  Damascus  altar.     With  v.  24  cf.  2  K.  16  :  17,  iB- 

2Cf.  28  :24;  2K.  16:  17. 

308       ^ 


the  Historians  2  Chronicles  30: 17 

to  the  temple,  Hezekiah  commanded  the  priests  to 
offer  a  sin-offering  for  all  Israel — for  the  royal  house, 
the  temple,  and  the  people.  While  the  burnt  offering 
was  being  offered,  the  people  worshipped  to  the  musi- 
cal accompaniment  of  Levites  and  priests.  Then, 
after  songs  of  praise,  on  the  king's  invitation,  the 
people  offered  sacrifices  of  their  own — thank  offerings 
and  burnt-offerings — so  many  indeed  that  the  priests, 
loth  to  sanctify  themselves,  had  to  be  assisted  in  flay- 
ing them  by  the  more  enthusiastic  Levites  ;  and  king 
and  people  were  filled  with  joy  at  all  that  God  had 
wrought. 

Then  he  determined  to  celebrate  the  passover  at  Je-  Thepass- 
rusalem  on  a  great  scale.  To  this  end  he  despatched  "^^"^  ^^°^ 
letters  throughout  all  Israel  and  Judah  from  north  to 
south,  inviting  all  to  come  to  Jerusalem,  and  assuring 
them  that  if  they  would  but  turn  to  their  gracious 
God,  he  would  look  again  with  favour  upon  them,  and 
bring  their  dear  ones  back  from  exile.  In  Israel  many 
laughed  his  message  to  scorn,  though  not  a  few  humbly 
obeyed  ;  but  Judah  was  inspired  to  unanimity.  So  the 
great  congregation  gathered  at  Jerusalem,  where,  after 
removing  all  traces  of  idolatry,  the  passover  was  cele- 
brated, priests  and  Levites  now  taking  such  parts  as 
were  prescribed  in  the  law  of  Moses.  In  some  ways 
the  celebration  was  irregular.  It  was  a  month  behind 
the  legal  time  ; '  and  further,  many  from  Israel  were 
ceremonially  unclean,  and  therefore   legally  disquali- 

1  Num.  9  :  I,  5;  but  cf.  vv.  lo,  ii. 


2  Chronicles  30:  i8 


The  Messages  of 


fied  from  eating  the  passover.  But  they  were  never- 
theless allowed  to  partake.  For  there  was  a  higher 
than  the  legal  spirit  at  work,  as  is  seen  in  the  king's 
large-hearted  prayer  to  **  Jehovah  the  good  "  for  par- 
don upon  all,  if  only  they  worshipped  in  sincerity. 
The  feast  lasted  twice  the  usual  time.  There  was 
daily  praise  and  abundant  sacrifice  and  great  joy.  For 
three  centuries  Jerusalem  had  not  seen  the  like. 
Provision  for  The  passovcr  was  fittingly  followed  by  the  destruc- 
hood^si)  *^o"  °^  *^^  remaining  traces  of  idolatry  in  Judah  and 
Israel.  Then  the  people  dispersed  to  their  homes. 
Hezekiah  reorganized  the  priests  and  Levites,  and  his 
request — supported  by  his  own  generous  example — that 
the  people  should  contribute  toward  the  sacred  dues, 
met  with  a  response  beyond  all  expectation.  Officers 
were  appointed  to  take  charge  of  and  distribute  the 
numerous  offerings  among  the  priests,  the  Levites  and 
their  families. 

Sennacherib's  entrance  into  Judah  .  (2  K.  18  :  13) 
On  the  approach  of  Sennacherib,  the  people  stopped 
the  fountains,  and  Hezekiah  strengthened  the  fortifica- 
tions of  Jerusalem,  and  encouraged  the  people,  remind- 
ing them  that  the  enemy  had  but  an  arm  of  flesh,  while 
they  themselves  had  Jehovah  their  God  to  fight  their 
battles. 

Sennacherib's  campaign  ;  the  deliverance  of  Jerusalem 

(2  K.  18  :  17  to  19  :  37) 
The  remarkable  deliverance  brought  Hezekiah  honor 
in  the  sight  of  all  the  world. 
310 


(32  :  I) 

Hezekiah's 
defences 
(32  : 2-8) 


(32  :  9-21) 

Fame  of 
Hezekiah 
(32  :  22,  23) 


the  Historians  2  Chronicles  33  :  25 

The   Babylonian    embassy:   Hezekiah's    wealth,    and  (32 :  24-33) 
building  enterprise (2  K.  20) 

Forgetful  of  Jehovah's  goodness  in  bringing  him  back 
from  the  gates  of  death,  Hezekiah  waxed  proud,  but  on 
humbling  himself  he  was  forgiven  and  enjoyed  great 
power  and  prosperity.  The  Babylonian  embassy  was 
God's  way  of  testing  what  was  in  his  heart. ^  All 
Judah  did  him  honor  at  his  death. 

(o)  Manasseh  (2  Chr.  33  :  1-20) 

His  idolatry (2  K.  21  :  i-io)  (33:  i-io) 

For  his  disregard  of  the  divine  word  Manasseh  was  Manasseh's 
carried  away  to  Babylon,  whence,  however,  after  hum-  pen^^n^t 
ble  confession  and  prayer,  Jehovah  his  God  brought  him  and  return 
back  again  to  his  own  land.  "  ^^ 

He  strengthened  the  capital,  abolished  idolatry,  and  His  reforms 
made  the  worship  of  Jehovah  imperative.  ^^^  '  ^"^"^^^ 

His  death  and  burial  .        .         .        (2  K.  21  :  18)  (32 :  20) 

(p)  Anion  (2  Chr.  33  :  21-25) 

His  brief  and  wicked  reign   .         .         (2  K.  21  :  19-24)  (33 :  21-25) 
Amon  did  not  humble  himself  before  Jehovah,  as  f^J^  per- 

vcrsitv 

Manasseh  his  father  had  done.  (33  :  20) 

^  In  2  K.  20  :  12,  13  the  pride  is  connected  with  the  embassy.  Here  v.  27 
preceding  v.  31  makes  a  very  different  impression  from  v.  13  in  Kings  fol- 
lowing V.  12. 


311 


2  Chronicles  34  :  i  The  Messages  of 

(q)  Josiah  (2  Chr.  34.  35) 

(34)  His  reforms  :  the  finding  of  the  book  of  the  law  (2  K.  22) 

(34  :  3)  Josiah 's  reforms  began  in  his  TWELFTH  year. 

(2  K.  22  :  3  ;  23  :  23) 
(34  :  8, 14,         SIX  YEARS  AFTERWARD  (v.  8),  in  the  course  of  tem- 
ple repairs,  was  found  the  book  of  the  law  of  Jehovah 
given  by  Moses  (v.  1$),  and  Shaphan  read  THEREIN'^ 
(V.  18). 
(34 :  33)  The  effects  of  the  reformation  lasted  during  Josiah's 

lifetime. 

(35:1-19)         Josiah's  passover         .  .         .         (2  K.  23  :  21-23) 

Josiah  instructed  the  priests  and  Levites  to  celebrate 

the  great  passover  festival  in  accordance  with  the  law 

of   Moses,   and   with    splendid    generosity   king    and 

princes   furnished   people,   priests,   and   Levites   with 

sacrificial  animals. 

(35  :  20,  22,       Josiah's  sad  death         .         .         .         (2  K.  23  :  29,  30) 

Necho's  Necho,  conscious  that  he  was  fulfilling  the  divine 

word  t^o^^      purpose,  warned  Josiah  of  the  doom  that  would  be  his, 

Josiah  ful-    if  he  persisted  in  fighting  with  him  ;  but  Josiah,  regard- 

(35 :  21-25)    less  of  the  divine  message,  perished.     Jeremiah  and  all 

Judah  mourned  for  him,  and  elegies  are  still  sung."^ 
(35  :  26, 27)       Concluding  notice      .         .         .         .         (2  K.  23  :  28) 

1  In  K.,  he  read  it,  i.e.  roughly,  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy.  But  to  the 
Chronicler,  the  law  is  the  Pentateuch,  which  was  too  long  to  read  through 
in  the  manner  described,  therefore  he  says  therein. 

3  Virtually  an  independent  version  of  2  K.  23  :  29,  30. 


312 


the  Historians  2  Chronicles  36  :  23 

(r)  Jehoahaz  (2  Chr.  36  :  1-4) 
His  brief  reign  and  hapless  fate  .         (2  K.  23  :  3o''-34)  (36  : 1.4) 

(s)  Jehoiakim  (2  Chr.  36  :  5-8) 

His  evil  reign        .        .        .         (2  K.  23 :  36  to  24 :  6)  (36 : 5-8) 
Besides  carrying  away  certain  vessels  of  the  temple  (36 :  6-7) 

to  Babylon,  Nebuchadrezzar  put  Jehoiakim  in  chains 

to  carry  him  away  also. 

(t)  Jehoiachin  (2  Chr.  36  :  9,  10) 
His  brief  reign  and  exile  to  Babylon  *     (2  K.  24  :  8-17)  (36 :  9-10) 

(u)  Zedekiah  (2  Chr.  36  :  11-21) 

His  rebellion/  the  siege  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Babylo- (36  =  "-21) 
nians  and  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the  temple 

(2  K.  24  :  18  to  25  :2i) 

Zedekiah  was  stiffnecked  and  hardhearted,  rejecting 
the  message  of  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  and  breaking  his 
solemn  oath  of  fealty  to  Nebuchadrezzar.  Priests  and 
people  likewise  spurned  the  prophetic  word ;  until  at 
last  the  wrath  of  Jehovah  rose  against  his  people,  and 
there  was  no  remedy.  So  the  desolate  land  kept  Sab- 
bath for  seventy  years,  as  Jeremiah  ^  had  foretold.  . 

(v)  The  Decree  of  Cyrus  (2  Chr.  36  :  22,  23  ;  cf.  Ezra  I  :  1-3) 

»  The  very  summary  recapitulation  of  the  facts  connected  with  these  two 
deportations  of  Judah  is  highly  characteristic. 
'  25  :  II ;  29  :  10. 


Ezra-Nehemiah  The  Messages  of 


INTRODUCTION    TO    EZRA-NEHEMIAH 

These  two  books,  originally  one  in  Hebrew,  are  an  ob- 
vious continuation  of  Chronicles,*  and  in  their  present 
form  are  from  the  same  hand.  The  phraseology,  the 
temper,  the  point  of  view  are  similar.  Here,  as  there,  is 
displayed  profound  interest  in  the  temple,  its  ritual,  and 
its  ministers  ; "  here,  as  there,  the  Levites  are  prominent » 
and  the  musical  service  is  emphasized.*  Certain  older 
traits  receive  in  this  age  a  new  prominence,  as  fasting  * 
and  prayer.®  The  legal  spirit  of  the  age  has  also  engen- 
dered a  certain  self-righteousness.'  "  The  days  of  Nehe- 
miah  "  lie  in  the  past ;  they  constitute  one  epoch,  as  the  days 
of  Zerubbabel  constitute  another.*^  In  these  books  no  less 
surely  than  in  Chronicles  we  have  to  do  with  the  editorial 
work  of  the  Chronicler.   What,  however,  were  his  sources  ? 

Those  sources,  though  seldom  cited,"  are  of  unusual 
importance,  as  they  bear,  in  the  main,  the  stamp  of  origi- 

*  Compare  2  Chr.  36  :  22,  23  with  Ezr.  i  :  1-3. 
^  Neh.  13  :  29,  etc. 

«  Neh.  8  :  7,  9 ;  9  :  4,  38. 
•      <  Ezr.  3  :  10,  II ;  Neh.  12  :  27,  36,  46. 

*  Ezr.  8:21;  10  :  6 ;  Neh.  i  :  4. 

*  Ezr.  8  :  23 ;  9  :  ^15 ;  Neh.  1:4;  4:9. 
'  Neh.  5  :  19;  13  :  14,  22. 

*  Neh.  12  :  47. 

*  Cf.  Neh.  12  :  23,  the  book  of  the  chronicles. 


the  Historians  Ezra-Nehemiah 


nality.  Though  here,  as  in  Kings,  the  author  breathes 
much  of  his  own  spirit  into  the  history  he  records,  he  fortu- 
nately leaves  much  of  it  practically  intact  and  often  trans- 
cribes without  adapting.  This  is  especially  true  of  the  long 
section,  Neh.  i  to  6,  a  graphic  story  in  the  first  person, 
which  comes  from  the  personal  memoirs  of  Nehemiah. 
It  is  also  clear  that  one  of  the  sources  was  the  memoirs  of 
Ezra,  for  the  sections  Ezra  7  :  27  to  8 :  34  and  9:1-15  speak 
of  him  in  the  first  person,  though  the  abrupt  transition  in 
the  tenth  chapter  from  the  first  person  to  the  third  ^  shows 
the  hand  of  the  editor  working  on  the  original  documents. 
It  is  not  impossible  that  he  may  have  edited  even  that 
portion  of  the  memoirs  which  has  been  preserved  in  the 
first  person.  We  do  know  for  a  fact  that  he  retouched 
documents  which  look  like  originals.  A  comparison,  for 
instance,  of  the  decree  of  Cyrus  as  given  in  Ezra  i  :  2  ff. 
with  the  form  of  that  decree  preserved  in  the  Aramaic 
document  of  Ezra  6  :  3  ff.,  leaves  no  doubt  as  to  which  is 
the  original.  The  Chronicler's  hand  is  obvious  in  the 
representation  of  the  decree  as  a  charge  given  by  Jehovah, 
God  of  heaven,  to  Cyrus.  Thus  we  have  to  face  the  pos- 
sibility, which  amounts  to  a  practical  certainty,  that  the 
Chronicler's  hand  has  touched  even  the  original  letters 
and  documents  preserved  in  Aramaic,  Ezra  4  :  8  to  6  :  14* 
and  7  :  12-26,''  but  the  influence  there  is,  in  the  main,  for- 
mal rather  than  material. 

*  9  :  5;  10  :  I.  ^  Cf.  especially  6  :  9,  10,  12. 


Ezra-Nehemiah  The  Messages  of 

Thus  the  sources  are  lists,  official  documents,  and  me- 
moirs, all  of  which  were  in  places  worked  over  and  some- 
times amplified  by  the  Chronicler.  His  priestly  bias  seems 
to  have  occasionally  controlled  his  presentation  of  fact. 
For  example,  many  considerations  ^  tend  to  confirm  the 
conclusion  that  Ezra's  expedition  is  antedated,  and  that 
Nehemiah  arrived  before  him  and  prepared  the  way  for 
him.  Again  at  the  expense  of  the  continuity  and  even 
coherence  of  his  story,  the  Chronicler  dramatically  con- 
centrates in  the  forefront  of  his  narrative  the  Samaritan 
opposition  to  the  Jews— an  opposition  which,  on  the  con- 
fession of  the  recorded  dates  themselves,  covered  a  period 
of  at  least  about  eighty  years,  and  increased  in  virulence 
as  the  years  went  on." 

These  facts  compel,  for  historical  purposes,  a  recon- 
struction of  the  order  of  the  narrative,  and  this  reconstruc- 
tion becomes  all  the  more  imperative  when  we  observe 
that  no  less  than  three  chapters  of  Nehemiah  (8  to  lo)  ap- 
pear to  come  from  the  memoirs  of  Ezra,  and  to  be  con- 
nected in  time,  spirit,  and  language  with  Ezra  7  to  10. 
Like  the  antedating  of  Ezra's  expedition,  the  general  disor- 

»  For  instance,  Nehemiah's  memoirs  make  no  allusion  to  the  alleged 
measures  of  Ezra,  nor  did  Ezra's  company  assist  at  the  building  of  the 
walls,  as  they  surely  would  have  done  had  they  been  present.  Further, 
Ezra's  measures,  especially  with  regard  to  intermarriage,  are  much  more 
decisive  than  Nehemiah's,  which  have  all  the  appearance  of  being  tenta- 
tive.    Cf.  Neh.  13  :  25  with  Ezr.  lo. 

»  Ezr.  4- 

316 


the  Historians  Ezra-Nehemiah 


der  of  the  narrative  was  probably  caused  by  the  desire  to 
give  the  priest  Ezra  precedence  over  the  layman  Nehe- 
miah. 

It  was  peculiarly  fitting  that  the  priestly  historian  should 
undertake  to  tell  the  story  of  the  new  life  that  came  to  his 
people  with  the  return  of  Ezra  the  scribe  from  Babylon. 
Though  the  institutions  which  he  so  deeply  loved  were 
for  him  rooted  in  a  very  distant  past,  yet  the  work  of 
Ezra  gave  them,  so  to  speak,  new  interest  and  stability. 
But  why  has  he  nothing  to  tell  us  of  the  period  that  lies 
between  the  return  of  Nehemiah  and  that  glad  day,  sev- 
enty years  before,  when  they  finished  the  building  of  the 
temple  and  kept  the  festival  with  joy  ?  The  silence  is 
ominous.  It  suggests  a  catastrophe  over  which  the  Chron- 
icler would  fain  hasten  to  a  more  congenial  tale.  But  the 
vague  and  awful  suggestions  of  that  silence  receive  a 
body  from  scattered  hints  in  prophecy.  The  temple  was 
completed  in  516  B.  C.  We  know  how  extravagant  were 
the  hopes  that  gathered  round  Zerubbabel.'  We  see  in 
the  gloomy  world  of  Malachi  how  these  hopes,  how  all 
hopes,  had  been  dashed.  Even  the  temple  and  its  worship 
are  now  all  but  a  thing  for  scorn.  ^  Sellin  has  suggested  ' 
— though  it  can  be  no  more  than  a  hypothesis — that  dur- 
ing the  governorship  of  Zerubbabel,  the  Jews  may  have 
rebelled  against  their  Persian  master,  and  paid  for  their 
daring  hopes  a  terrible  penalty,  in  the  shape  of  the  cruci- 

»  Haggai  2  :  23.  »  Mai.  1:7.  ^Yn  his  book  Serubbabel  (1898). 


Ezra-Nehemiah 

fixion  of  their  leader,  the  devastation  of  their  temple,  and 
the  destruction  of  all  hope  of  independence  under  a  native 
king.  In  the  light  of  this  possibility,  the  opening  scene 
in  Nehemiah  gains  new  interest  and  pathos,  and  the  em- 
phatic sacerdotalism  of  the  new  order  becomes  more  than 
ever  intelligible. 


318 


Throughout  the  following  section  plain  type  represents 
the  original  sources ;  bold-faced  type  indicates  the  Chron- 
icler's additions  to  or  modifications  of  it,  or  contributions 
original  to  himself. 


320 


Ezra  3 : 8 


VI 

THE  RESTORATION 

I.   The  Return  (Ezra  i  to  6) 

In  fulfilment  of  Jeremiah's  prophecy,  Cyrus  King  of  The  decree 
Persia  at  the  bidding  of  Jehovah,  published  a  decree  ^  in  t.?r'^m7^ 
538  B.  C. ,  granting  permission  to  the  exiled  Jews  to  return  ^^^ 
to  Jerusalem  and  rebuild  the  temple  and  enjoining  that 
the   exiles  receive  local  support.'      Enthusiastically  did 
the  leading  men,  the  priests  and  the  Levites  obey  ;  and 
they  were  sped  upon  their  way  by  gifts  from  their  neigh- 
bors.    They  took  with  them  the  numerous  sacred  ves- 
sels, once  captured  by  Nebuchadrezzar,  now  committed 
by  Cyrus  to  the  charge  of  Sheshbazzar,  a  prince  of  Judah. 

In   the  seventh  month  a  great  gathering  was  held  at  Altar  built 
Jerusalem,  at  which  under  the  leadership  of  Joshua  the  estlShS* 
priest  and  Zerubbabel  the  governor  the  altar  was  built,  p^  j^;  5-- 
that  the  Mosaic  sacrifices  might  be  regularly  offered. 
The  feast  of  booths  was  also  held  and  after  that  the 
regular  sacrificial  system  was  resumed.     But  the  foun- 
dation of  the  temple  was  not  yet  laid. 

Measures,  however,  were  at  once  taken  with  this  Laying  the 
end  in  view.     In  the  second  month  of  the  second  year,  of"th?tem- 

ple  (3  :  8-13) 
»  Ezra  I  :  1-3  =  2  Chr.  36  :  22,  23. 

'  Since  the  Chronicler's  sources  were  already  priestly,  it  is  often  difficult 
to  distinguish  accurately  between  them  and  his  additions  or  corrections. 
321 


Ezra  3:8  The  Messages  of 

the  returned  exiles,  headed  by  their  leaders,  addressed 
themselves  to  the  work,  the  oversight  of  which  they 
entrusted  to  the  Levites  ;  and  the  foundation  was  laid 
to  the  accompaniment,  in  ancient  fashion,  of  music  and 
song  by  priests  and  Levites.     The  joy  of  the  young 
was   mingled  with  the  tears  of  those  who  had  seen 
the  glorious  temple  of  Solomon. 
Samaritan        The   Samaritans  requested   permission  to  assist  in 
(4  ri-5^24)    ^^^  building  of  the  temple,  on  the  ground  of  their  com- 
mon worship  of  Jehovah.   On  the  leaders  refusing,  they 
hampered  the  activity  of  the  Jews,  and  plotted  against 
them  for  sixteen  years,  till  the  second  year  of  Darius. 
Temple  be-       Then  under  the  stimulus  of  the  preaching  of  Haggai, 
^"^2)^ '^"  Zechariah.and  others,  the  real  work  of  building  was  begun. 
Tattenai  in-      Their  efforts  were  challenged  by  the  suspicious  Tat- 
the^j^ws  "*  tenai,  Persian  governor  of   the  western  provinces.     He, 
cf  ms's^°      however,  by  the  grace  of  God,  before  prohibiting  them, 
decree         formally  communicated  with  Darius,  intimating  the  rapid 
^  ■  ^'^^        progress  of  the  building,  the  names  of  the  leaders,  and 
the  reply  of  the  Jews  to  his  challenge,  in  which  they  had 
appealed  to  a  decree  of  Cyrus  granting  them  permission 
to  return  and  rebuild  the  temple,  and  had  pleaded  the 
uninterrupted  progress  of  the  building  since  the  laying 
of  the  foundation  stone  by  Sheshbazzar. 
The  decree       On  Tattenai's   recommendation,    Darius    instituted    a 
conSm^d     search  for  the  alleged  decree,  which  was  at  length  dis- 
(e'-^-^i'lr     co^'^^^^  ^^  Ecbatana,  whereupon  he  not  only  warned  Tat- 
tenai not  to  interfere  with  the  work,  but  passed  an  irrevo- 
322 


the  Historians  Nehemiah  i  :  1 1 

cable  decree  that  part  of  the  royal  tribute  be  placed  at 
their  disposal,  that  they  should  be  regularly  supplied  with 
all  that  was  necessary  for  sacrifices  of  sweet  savour,  and 
that  prayer  be  offered  for  his  dynasty  and  "may  the  God 
who  has  caused  his  name  to  dwell  there  destroy  all  who 
thwart  the  building  of  his  house." 

Thus  under  the  stimulus  of  the  preaching  of  Haggai  and  The  temple 
Zechariah,  the  building  was  successfully  finished  in  516  b"c^^*^  ^^"^ 
B.  C.     Priests,  Levites  and  returned  exiles  kept  the  ^^  •  ^3-^^^ 
dedication  of  the  temple  with  joy,  offered  liberal  sacrifices 
and  arranged  for  the  worship  in   accordance  with  the 
law  of  Moses. 

A  great  passover  feast  was  held  in  which  all,  with  The  glad 
glad  gratitude,  participated — both  the  returned  exiles  \^^^^l^22) 
and  all  who  had  separated  themselves  -  from  the  filthi- 
ness  of  the  heathen  of  the  land. 

2.    The  Work  of  Nehe7niah  (Neh.  i  to  7 ;  11  to  13) 

Nehemiah,  royal  cupbearer  in  the  Persian  palace,  over-judahin 
come  by  the  news  of  the  distress  of  his  fellow-country-  N^hemrJh 
men  in  Tudea,  and  of  the  destruction  of  the  walls  of  Jerusa-  ^^^^^  ^"^ 

•'  '  •'  prays 

lem,  fasted  and  prayed  long  and  passionately  with  earnest  (Neh.  i) 
confession  to  the  faithful  and  terrible  Jehovah  that,  in  ac- 
cordance with  his  ancient -promise,  he  would   hear  the 
prayer  of  his  redeemed  who  were  again  oppressed,  and 
grant  Nehemiah  himself  favor  in  the  sight  of  the  king. 

*  Perhaps  those  who  had  not  been  carried  into  exile. 


Nehemiah  2  :  i  The  Messages  of 

Goes  to  je-        On  being  questioned  by  the  king  three  or  four  months 
sdrsupthe   afterward  touching  the  grief  which  his  countenance  be- 
^"'"b  "c^T2')  Grayed,  with  the  courage  of  faith  he  asked  and  obtained 
from  him  permission  to  travel   under  Persian  protection 
to  Judah,  with  a  view  to  the  restoration  of  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem.     The  arrival  of  a   man  with  such  a  mission 
was  naturally  unwelcome  to  the  foreign  neighbors.     But 
without  divulging  the  purpose  that  God  had  put  into  his 
heart,  he  went  out  one  night  to  inspect  the  state  of  the 
walls,  riding  till  the  rubbish  compelled  him  to  go  on  foot. 
Then  with  a  zeal  inspired  by  knowledge,  he  kindled  in  the 
whole  community  the  desire  to  rebuild  the  walls,  appeal- 
ing to  Jehovah's  manifest  grace  in  the  king's  generosity 
toward  him.     The  movement  was  received  with  ridicule 
by  the  foreigners.     But  to  taunts  and  insinuation  Nehe- 
miah replied  that  they  had    no  right  in  Jerusalem,  and 
that  the  God  of  heaven  would  crown  their  own  despised 
efforts  with  success. 
The  building     The  work  was  at  once   prosecuted   with    vigor  and 
of^the  walls  gp^^^^     ^^  ^^j.  ^^^  ^^^j^g  ^j  Tekoa  lent  a  helping  hand, 

from  the  high-priest  to  the  private  man,  from  the  nobles 
to  the  trade-guilds. 
Foreign  op-       Irritated,  however,  by  the  progress  of  the  building,  the 
frustrated     foreigners  again  ridiculed  their  infatuation,  and  provoked 
rniah  m'      Nehemiah  to  an  earnest  prayer  for  vengeance.     The  re- 
doubled efforts  of  the  builders,  who  had  now  almost  suc- 
ceeded in  closing  the  breaches  of  the  walls,  so  enraged 
324 


the  Historians  Nehemiah  5  :  19 

the  foreigners  that  they  determined  upon  a  sudden  attack. 
Nehemiah,  however,  frustrated  their  plans  by  making  ad- 
equate preparations  for  this  contingency,  and  strength- 
ened the  hearts  of  the  despondent  people  not  only  by  his 
own  heroic  example,  but  also  by  reminding  them  that 
their  God,  the  great  and  terrible  Jehovah,  would  fight  for 
them. 

At  this  juncture  the  wrongs  of  the  poorer  people  found  Nehemiah 
a  voice.     To  procure  money  for  food  and  for  the  royal  the"raplcity 
tribute,  they  had  been  driven  to  mortgage  their  property  nobies"^^^'*^ 
to  their  wealthier  brethren,  and  even  to  sell  their  children,  (s :  1-13) 
At  a  great  public  meeting,  Nehemiah  indignantly  accused 
the  leading  men  of  their  unbrotherly  rapacity,  contrasted 
their  conduct  with  his  own  and  that  of  his  friends,  and 
finally  induced  them  to  restore  the  mortgaged  property^ 
binding  them  by  an  oath,  and  invoking  on  traitors  a  sol- 
emn curse. 

Nehemiah's  example  was  as  good  as  his  precept.     For  His  own 
during  the  whole  period  of  his  governorship  (444-432  B.  C),  prrctke^ 
he  scrupulously  refrained,  in  spite  of  precedent  to  the  ^s  '•  14-19) 
contrary,  from  burdening  the  people  with  the  expenses  of 
his  large  establishment.     Nay,  he  could  appeal  to  an  un- 
usually generous   hospitality.     Hence  the  justice  of  his 
prayer,  "  Remember  unto  me,  O  my  God,  for  good,  all 
that  I  have  for  this  people. " 

The  walls  were  now  completed.     But  the  enemy,  not 
to  be  baulked,  cunningly  proposed  a  personal  conference 
325 


Nehemiah  6 :  i 


The  Messages  of 


Intrigues 
against 
Nehemiah 
frustrated  : 
the  walls 
finished  (6) 


The  Samar- 
itan indict- 
ment 

(Ezra  4  :  6- 
^3) 


with  Nehemiah  on  non- Jewish  soil.  Each  invitation  he 
peremptorily  refused.  Then  came  a  letter  with  insinua- 
tions of  rebellion  and  treason  abetted  by  prophetic  in- 
trigue ;  all  of  which  Nehemiah  pointedly  denied.  As  a 
last  resource,  a  prophet,  backed  by  numbers  of  the  pro- 
phetic order,  was  suborned  by  the  enemy  to  destroy  his 
credit  by  inducing  him  to  flee  for  his  life  to  the  temple — 
a  proposal  which  Nehemiah  rejected  with  scorn.  "  Re- 
member, O  my  God,  according  to  these  their  works,  all 
who  would  have  put  me  in  fear."  So,  by  the  manifest 
help  of  God,  the  walls  were  finished  in  less  than  two 
months,  to  the  humiliation  of  the  enemy.  During  that 
period  certain  members  of  the  Jewish  nobility  had  been 
in  treasonable  correspondence  with  one  of  the  enemy's 
leaders,  who  was  indeed  connected  with  them  by  mar- 
riage. 

About  this  time  ^  the  governor  of  Samaria '  sent  to  the 
Persian  government  a  formal  indictment  of  the  Jews, 
accusing  them  ^  of  aiming  ultimately  at  independence  in 
their  efforts  to  rebuild  the  city  walls,  and  urging  that  a 
search  of  the  official  records  of  the  government  would 
show  that  Jerusalem  had  been  in  the  past  notorious  as  a 
centre  of  rebellion  and  that  the  fortification  of  the  city 

1  In  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes,  465-424  B.  C. 

3  The  Samaritans  were  descendants  of  the  mixed  population  mentioned  in 
2  K.  17  :  24,  and  of  other  peoples  deported  from  the  east  in  the  next  century 
by  Osnapper  (Ezr.  4  :  10),  probably  Assurbanipal,  668-628  B.  C. 

3  As  before  in  the  reign  of  Xerxes,  486-465  B.  C,  v.  6. 
-.26 


the  Historians  Nehemiah  1 2  : 1 1 


might  mean  the  loss  of  the  western  provinces  at  any  mo- 
ment. The  king  finding  the  official  records  to  corrob- 
orate the  letter,  ordered  the  instant  suspension  of  the 
building  until  further  notice — an  order  which  was  car- 
ried out  with  alacrity  and  not  without  violence  by  the 
jealous  enemies  of  the  Jews. 

Nehemiah  then  placed  the  city  in  charge  of  two  officials,  Protective 
and  took  vigorous  precautions  to  have  it  strongly  guard-  SIssSc"  Ion 
ed,  and  more  thickly  peopled.     For  the  latter  purpose,  he  °^  ^^^^  p^°p^® 
classified  the  people,  keeping  in  view  the  list '  of  returned 
exiles   drawn  up  under  Zerubbabel,  about  ninety  years 
before,  which  included  laity  and  clergy,  and  he  provision- 
ally excluded  all  the  latter  who  could  not  prove  their  claims 
to  the  priesthood. 

The  rulers  of  the  people  were  content  to  dwell  at  Jeru-  The  dty 
salem,  and  the  population  of  the  town  was  increased  by  a  (i^T-l^o 
draft,  selected  by  lot,  of  one-tenth  of  the  population  resi- 
dent outside  the  capital  as  well  as  by  a  body  of  volunteers 
who  together  represented  all  classes  of  the  community.^     ^l^g  popuk- 

The  rest  of  the  people  ^  dwelt  in  various  towns  and  ^io"  ?f  the 

.,,  province 

Villages.  (II :  25-36) 

Representatives  of  the  twenty-two  priestly  and  eight  Registers  of 
Levitical  houses  returned  with  Zerubbabel  and  Joshua  in  Eeviticaf" 
536  B.  C.     In  the  period  between  536  and  331  there  were  f^^^^f^^^.^e) 
five  high-priests.     For  the  period  499  to  463  there  were 

1  Neh.  7  :  6-69  =  Ezra  2  :  1-67. 

2  II  :  3-19  =:  Chr.  9  :  2-17. 

3  Judah  (v.  25)  Benjamin  (v.  31). 


Nehemiah  12 :  12 


The  Messages  of 


The  dedica- 
tion of  the 
walls 
(12  :  27-43) 


Loyal  offer- 
ings to  the 
temple 
service 
(12  :  44-47) 


Nehemiah 
enforces 
the  sanctity 
of  the  temple 
(13  :  4-9) 


twenty  priestly  houses  with  heads.  Registers  of  the 
heads  of  Levitical  families  were  kept  down  to  the  time  of 
Alexander  the  Great.  Another  list  is  brought  down  to 
the  close  of  the  fifth  century. 

To  celebrate  the  dedication  of  the  walls,  the  Levites 
and  the  singers  were  brought  from  the  various  villages 
to  Jerusalem,  and  there  was  a  general  purification — of 
priests,  Levites,  people,  and  wall.  Then  Nehemiah 
organized  two  processions — one  headed  by  Hoshaiah  with 
half  the  princes  of  Judah,  accompanied  by  priestly 
trumpeters  preceded  by  Ezra ;  the  other  headed  by 
Nehemiah  himself  with  the  rest  of  the  princes,  which 
marched  in  opposite  directions  round  the  wall,  singing 
praises,  until  they  met  before  the  temple.  They  offered 
great  sacrifices,  and  joy  reigned  supreme. 

At  that  time  steps  were  taken  to  secure  the  regula- 
tion and  distribution  of  the  offerings  for  the  priests  and 
the  Levites  made  by  the  eager  people.  For  the  period 
of  Nehemiah,  like  that  of  Zerubbabel,  was  distin- 
guished for  its  loyalty  to  the  temple  service,  even  the 
singers  and  the  porters  receiving  their  daily  portion. 

On  his  return  to  Jerusalem  in  432  B.  C,  after  a  length- 
ened absence,  Nehemiah  found  to  his  indignation  that 
the  high-priest  had  assigned  one  of  the  temple  chambers 
to  Tobiah  the  Ammonite,  who  was  a  relative  by  marriage.* 
Without  more  ado,  he  ejected  Tobiah's  property  and  re- 
stored the  chamber  to  its  original  sacred  use. 

1  Cf .  6  :  17,  18  ;  3  :  29,  30. 
328 


the  Historians  Nehemiah  13  ".31 

His  religious  zeal  and  vigorous  initiative  were  shown  in  He  institutes 
other  ways.     He  promptly  took  steps  to  secure  payment  (137T0-14) 
of  their  dues  to  the  Levites  who,  through  deficient  revenue, 
were  compelled   to  scatter  about  the  country  for  their 
livelihood  to  the  neglect  of  the  temple  service.     "  Remem- 
ber me,  O  my  God,  concerning  this." 

Again,  by  vigorous  measures,  coupled  with  exhortation  He  defends 
and  threats,  he  succeeded  in  securing  the  Sabbath  day  (13 .  1^5.2^/ 
from  desecration  by  work  and,  in  particular,  by  trade. 

With  an  energy  inspired  by  righteous  indignation,  he  He  stemiy 
proceeded  against   the  Jews  who  had  married   foreign  te^rmaSage 
women,  appealing  to  the  tragic  fall  of  the  great  King  Sol-  ^''ner^" 
omon,  and  compelling  them  to  a  solemn  oath  that  they  ('3  =  23-31) 
would  forswear  all  such  sinful  intermarriage.'    He  was  no 
respecter  of  persons  ;  he  even  expelled  from  Jerusalem  a 
grandson  of  the  high-priest,  who  had  married  the  daugh- 
ter of  the  Samaritan  Sanballat.'     With  a  prayer  that  God 
would  avenge  the  profanation  of  the  priesthood,  he  re- 
organized the  duties  and  privileges  of  the  clergy.     "  Re- 
member me,  O  my  God,  for  good." 

3.   The  Work  of  Ezra  (Ezra  7  to  10;  Neh.  8  to  10) 

In  course  of  time,  by  the  grace  of  the  king,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  good   hand  of  his  God  upon  him,  Ezra   the 

^  Nehemiah  forbids  intermarriage  between  the  children  (13  :  25),  Ezra 
(10  :  II  ff.)  demands  the  divorce  of  the  wives . 

*  This  gave  impulse  to  the  Samaritan  schism,  and  ultimately  led  to  the 
building  of  the  rival  temple  on  Mount  Gerizim  (cf.  John  4  :  20). 


Ezra  7  :  i  The  Messages  of 

The  com-  scribc,  of  pricstly  lineage,  accompanied  both  by  the  laity 
Aitaxerxes  ^nd  by  the  various  grades  of  the  clergy,  arrived  at  Jerusa- 
to  Ezra        \^^  ^fj-gj.  ^  four  months'  march  from  Babylon,  with  the 

(ii>zra  7:1- 

26)  object  of  investigating  the  religious  condition  of  Judah  and 

Jerusalem,  and  of  teaching  the  law.   He  brought  with  him  a 
letter  from  Artaxerxes — dictated  by  fear  of  the  divine  wrath 
against  his  dynasty — embodying  a  decree  that  empowered 
any  Jew  who  pleased  to  accompany  him,  offering  very 
liberal  contributions  toward  the  sacrifices  and  for  other 
needful  purposes,  giving  permission  to  take  gifts  of  the  na- 
tives and  Jews,  instructing  the  treasurers  of  the  western 
provinces  to  give  him,  within  certain  limits,  anything  he 
might   further  require,  exempting  the    clergy  from   tax- 
ation, and  commissioning  Ezra  to  appoint  judges  to  teach 
the  law,  with  varying  penalties  for  disobedience. 
Ezra  and  his     After  ^  gratefully  acknowledging  Jehovah's  grace  to  the 
retu?n"^      people  and  to  himself  at  this  juncture,  Ezra  gathered  at  a 
t?"^  y^jjjj  short  distance  from  Babylon,  all  who  were  to  accompany 
Neh.  7:  70- him — priests,  princes,  and  laymen.     On  discovering  that 
^^  there  were  no  Levites  among  them,  he  had  their  places 

taken  by  Nethinim,  servants  of  the  Levites,  brought  from 
their  home  in  Casiphia.  Then  he  proclaimed  a  fast,  with 
public  humiliation  and  prayer  for  protection  by  the  way 
(for,  after  having  assured  the  king  that  their  God  protected 
all  who  sought  him,  he  could  not  well  ask  for  a  body- 

»  7  :  27  to  9  :  IS  (except  8  :  35,  36)  are  from  Ezra's  memoirs,  and  in  the 
first  person. 


the  Historians  Nehemiah  8  :  12 


guard),  and  God  heard  their  prayer.  He  then  committed 
to  the  charge  of  select  priests  the  Persian  and  Jewish  of- 
ferings for  the  temple,  taking  scrupulous  precautions  to 
have  them  safely  delivered  at  Jerusalem.  Then  they  took 
their  departure  and  reached  Jerusalem  in  safety,^  being 
preserved  by  their  God  from  the  dangers  of  the  way. 
The  offerings  also  were  found  on  inspection  to  be  intact. 
Then  the  returned  exiles  offered  a  sumptuous  burnt  of- 
fering and  sin  offering,  and  they  received  the  help  of 
the  western  governors,  on  presenting  the  royal  com- 
mission. Liberal  contributions  were  also  made  by  the 
governor,  the  chiefs,  and  the  people. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  seventh  month  at  a  national  The  assem- 


to  8  :  18) 


assembly,    held    at  Jerusalem,  Ezra,  supported  by  thir- reading*of 
teen  ^  others,  read  to  the  people  at  their  request,  for  sev-  cekJjrtion^^ 
eral  hours  from  the  Book  of  the  Law.^    The  reading  was  re-  of  the  feast 

of  booths 

lieved  at  intervals  by  the  expositions  of  the  Levites.     The  (Neh.  7 :  73b 
great  congregation  listened  with  reverence  and  w^ere  af- 
fected to  tears.     But  Nehemiah,  Ezra,  and  the  Levites 
bade  them  eat  and  drink  and  be  glad,  for  joy  was  seemly 
on  this  their  Lord's  holy  day.     Next  day  the  reading  was 

1  The  date  of  Ezra's  return  is  disputed.  If  his  expedition  is  subsequent 
to  Nehemiah's  (cf.  Introduction,  p.  316,  note)  the  commonly  accepted  date 
458  B.  C.  will  be,  of  course,  impossible.  It  will  have  to  be  after  444,  if  not 
after  432.  398  B.  C.  is  the  latest  possible  date  that  will  satisfy  the  indef- 
inite and  confusing  chronological  hints. 

2  Perhaps  twelve. 
'  I.e.,  the  Pentateuch ;  at  least  part  of  it ;  see  next  note. 


Nehemiah  8  :  13  The  Messages  of 

resumed  and  in  accordance  with  the  passage  then  read,' 
touching  the  celebration  of  the  feast  of  booths,  they  gath- 
ered branches  and  erected  booths — a  thing  that  had  not 
been  done  for  over  seven  hundred  years.      During  the 
whole  of  the  festival  week  the  law  was  read  daily. 
Theques-        Soon  the  princes  appeared  before  Ezra  with  a  com- 
mTrriig?!^'''  plaint.     Not  only  the  people,  but  even  the  priests,  the  Le- 
Ezra's  \\x.^%  and  the  leading  men  had  been  unfaithful  to  Israel's 

prayer  t> 

(Ezra  9)       trust  by  intermarrying  with  their  heathen  neighbors.     In 
deep  grief  Ezra,  accompanied  by  all  the  faithful,  awaited 
the  hour  of  the  evening  oblation.      Then  on  his  knees 
with  outstretched  hands,  he  earnestly  prayed  to  God,  con- 
fessing with  shame  the  national  sin  from  of  old,  and  the 
justice  of  all  the  chastisement  that  had  fallen ;  especially 
bewailing  their  ungrateful  disregard  of  God's  recent  kind- 
ness to  them.     He  had  punished  them  less  than  they  de- 
served ;  and  they  had  rewarded  his  forbearance  by  defy- 
ing the  prophetic  word,  and  courting  judgment  by  marriage 
with  the  heathen.     "  O  God  of  Israel !  thou  art  righteous  ; 
none  can  stand  before  thee  because  of  this." 
Severe  meas-     Ezra's  impassioned  prayer  drew  about  him  a  weeping 
"n"rmiT-"^'  Congregation,  one  of  whom,  acting  as  spokesman,  pro- 
^z^raio-i-o)  posed  to  redeem  the  past  by  solemnly  pledging  themselves 

1  If  this  passage  (Lev.  23  :  33-44)  was  reached  by  the  second  day,  the 
"  book  of  the  law  "  then  read  can  hardly  have  been  the  whole  Pentateuch, 
but  rather  only  the  legislative  portion  of  it.  Besides,  the  reading  of  the  fa- 
miliar stories  in  Genesis  and  Exodus  could  hardly  have  produced  the  im- 
pression recorded  here.     (So  Steuernagel.) 


the  Historiafts  Nehemiah  9  :  7 

to  put  away  their  heathen  wives  and  the  children  born  of 
them.  Ezra,  seizing  the  opportunity,  exacted  an  oath  to 
this  effect  from  the  leaders  of  the  clergy  and  people. 
They,  in  turn,  followed  this  up  by  summoning  the  whole 
nation  to  Jerusalem,  on  pain  of  forfeiture  of  property  and 
excommunication. 

The  passage  *  from  the  Pentateuch  was  read  which  ex-  read 
eluded  Moabites  and  Ammonites  from  the  congregation.    J^)*^'  ^^ ' 

"  This  ye  have  transgressed,"  said  Ezra,  and  he  urged  The  work  of 
them  to  make  confession  and  divorce  their  wives.     But  sio^n^°™™'*" 
owing  to  the  natural  difficulties  of  the  case,  aggravated  by^^"*^°  =  ^°- 
the  inconvenience  of  the  heavy  rains,  it  was  agreed,  all 
but  unanimously,  that  the  cases  should  be  settled  in  detail, 
at  dates  to  be  appointed  subsequently,  when  the  husbands 
of  the  foreign  women  might  appear  for  trial,  accompanied 
by  the  elders  and  judges  of  their  respective  cities.     The 
commission,  of  which  Ezra  was  president,  sat  for  about 
three  months  and  convicted  one  hundred  and  thirteen 
men,  including  all  grades  of  the  clergy. 

Less  than  four  weeks  afterward,  in  an  assembly  purged  Ezra's 
of  all  the  foreign  element,  the  people  after  the  reading  of  confess°in 
extensive  sections  of  the  law,  made  a  humble  confession  (^^^-  9) 
of  sin,  led  by  the  Levites  under  Ezra,"  who  prayed  on  this 
wise  :     "  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  art  the  creator  and  preserver 
of  all,  and  thy  love  has  shaped  the  history  of  thy  people. 
In  thy  choice  of  father  Abraham  and  thy  faithfulness  to 

1  Deut.  23  :  3-6.  2  So  v.  6  in  LXX. 

333 


Nehemiah  9 :  8  The  Messages  of 

him ;  in  the  marvels  thou  didst  work  for  thine  afflicted 
people  in  Egypt  and  the  wilderness  ;  in  thy  gift  of  the 
Sabbath  and  of  good  and  true  laws  through  Moses  on 
Sinai :  in  thy  merciful  pardon  of  their  sins  of  rebellion  ; 
in  thy  gifts  of  victory  and  children  and  a  fruitful  land  ;  in 
the  deliverers  whom  thou  from  time  to  time  didst  raise  up 
in  answer  to  their  cry,  despite  their  murder  of  thy  proph- 
ets ;  in  thy  forbearance  for  so  many  years ;  in  all  these 
things  thou  hast  shown  thyself  a  gracious  and  a  merciful 
God.  Now  therefore,  O  our  God,  the  great  and  mighty, 
the  terrible  and  faithful  God,  have  pity  upon  us  for  all  the 
sorrow  thou  hast  justly  brought  upon  us  all  since  the  time 
of  the  kings  of  Assyria,  for  we  are  this  day  slaves  in  the 
wealthy  land  that  thou  gavest  to  our  fathers." 
The  cove-  The  prayer  issued  in  a  covenant — signed  by  the  govern - 
"e^^s^"  ' '  or,  the  nobles,  and  the  clergy,  and  ratified  by  the  assem- 
(Neh.  10)  j^iy  ^j.  i^,.gg — |.Q  observe  the  Mosaic  law.  The  chief  terms 
of  the  covenant  were  that  they  would  not  intermarry  with 
their  heathen  neighbors,  nor  trade  on  the  Sabbath  day, 
that  they  would  remit  all  debts  and  leave  the  land  fallow 
in  the  seventh  year  for  the  poor,  that  they  would  contrib- 
ute annually  to  the  temple  service,^  as  well  as  to  the  sup- 
port of  the  priests  and  Levites,  and  in  every  way  secure 
the  maintenance  of  the  service. 

>  Here  K  of  a  shekel :  in  Ex.  30 :  13,  it  is  J^  shekel ;  cf.  2  Chr.  24  : 6,  9. 


334 


the  Historians  Ruth 


VII 


THE  DATE  AND  CHARACTER  OF  THE  BOOK  OF 
RUTH 

The  English  version  of  the  Bible,  following  the  Greek 
and  Latin,  suggests  that  the  Book  of  Ruth  is  a  foil,  as  it 
is  an  appendix,  to  the  Book  of  Judges,  Its  place  in  the 
Hebrew  Bible,  however,  is  toward  the  end,  in  the  section 
to  which  Ezra-Nehemiah  belongs,  and  it  is  not  unfair 
to  see  in  it  in  reality  a  foil  to  those  books.  Its  place  in 
the  canon,  its  language,  its  reference  to  the  custom  de- 
scribed in  4  :  7  as  of  the  "  former  time,"  all  suggest  that 
the  book  is  late. 

The  legislation  of  Ezra  *  which  demanded  the  divorce  of 
all  foreign  women — justified  as  it  may  have  been  in  large 
measure  by  the  circumstances  of  the  time — could  hardly 
pass  without  protest  from  men  of  prophetic  spirit."  Prob- 
ably the  Book  of  Ruth  is  that  protest.  Its  large-hearted- 
ness  is  the  complement  of  the  Leviticalism  of  Chronicles. 
It  is  not  merely  a  beautiful  idyll.  It  is  the  answer  of  the 
prophet  to  the  priest.  It  is  mercy  triumphing  over  judg- 
ment.    Like  Jonah,  this  book  implicitly  claims  the  whole 

J  Ezra  9  and  lo. 

*  Malachi's  attitude  (2  :  10-16)  was  similar  to  Ezra's,  and  doubtless  he 
represented  the  average  opinion  of  the  good  men  who  "  feared  Jehovah" 
(Mai.  3 :  16). 

335 


Ruth  The  Messages  of 

world  for  the  love  of  God.  It  asserts  that  a  Moabitess 
may  be  an  Israelite  indeed,  and  that  instead  of  her  birth 
counting  against  her,  her  faith  should  count  in  her  favor. 
Did  not  God  himself  so  count  it,  by  making  her  the  ances- 
tress of  David  ?  Jehovah  is  indeed  the  God  of  Israel,' 
v^^ho  visits  his  own  to  bless  them ;  ^  but  he  can  equally 
bless  the  children  of  another  people,'  and  will  deal  very 
kindly  with  the  foreign  woman  who  comes  to  take  refuge 
under  his  wings,*  and  who  said  to  her  Hebrew  mother-in- 
law  "  Thy  God  shall  be  my  God."  *  He  is  gracious  both 
to  the  living  and  to  the  dead,*  to  Israel  indeed,  but  no  less 
to  Moab,  and  her  that  cometh  unto  him,  of  whatsoever 
people  she  be,  he  will  in  no  wise  cast  out. 


VIII 

A  PLEA    FOR  THE   NON-ISRAELITE   (RUTH) 

Ruth  goes        During  the  days  of  the  judges,  Elimelech  of  Bethlehem 
fl^om  rfS'ab*  with  his  wife  Naomi  and  their  two  sons,  were  driven  by  a 
hem'of^^'     famine  to  sojourn  in  Moab.     In  process  of  time,  husband 
Judah(i)     and   sons   died.     Now  the  sons  had  married  women  of 
Moab '— Orpah  and  Ruth.     Bereft  of  husband  and  chil- 
dren, the  aged  Naomi  resolved  to  return  to  her  own  land 
of  Judah,  which   Jehovah   had  meanwhile  blessed  with 

*  2  :  12.  9  I  :  6.  '  I  :  8,  9.  *  2  :  12. 

6  I  :  16.  •  2  :  20.  ''  Cf.  Neh.  13  :  i. 

Z2>^ 


the  Historians  Ruth  3  :  lo 

plenty ;  and  likewise  she  bade  her  daughters-in-law  re- 
main in  their  own  land,  invoking  upon  them  a  blessing 
from  her  God  for  their  kindness  to  herself  and  to  the 
dead,  and  earnestly  entreating  them  to  remain  when  they 
showed  themselves  willing  to  go  with  her.  At  last  Orpah 
went  back  to  her  people  and  her  god  ;  but  Ruth  clave  to 
Naomi,  vowing  to  live  and  die  beside  her,  and  taking 
Naomi's  people  and  God  to  be  her  own.  So  in  the  be- 
ginning of  barley  harvest,  the  two  women  came  to  Beth- 
lehem, where  their  coming  caused  much  ado  ;  and  Naomi 
gave  voice  to  her  sense  of  the  bitter  contrast  wrought  by 
Jehovah  between  the  former  days  and  these. 

Now  Ruth  went  out  to  the  fields  to  glean  a  slender  Ruth  gleans 
sustenance  behind  the  reapers,  and  she  happened  to  enter  JJ}  goaz^   ^ 
the  field  of  Boaz,  a  kinsman  of  Naomi.     On  learning  who  ^^  =  ^'2°*) 
she  was,  and  noting  her  faithfulness  and  loveliness,  he 
with  delicate  grace  bade  her  remain  in  his  field  and  beside 
his  maidens,  offerin<7-  her  hospitality  and  protection,  and, 
in  reco;;nition  of  her  loyalty,  irvoking  upon  her  the  bless- 
ing of  tlie  God  of  Israel,  now  her  rightful  protector.   When 
she  came  home  in  the  evening  with  the  barley,  her  story 
touched  Naomi's  heart  with  gratitude  to  God,  who  was 
ever  gracious  alike  to  the  living  and  the  dead. 

After  telling  her  with  glad  pride  that  Boaz  was  a  near  She  wins  his 
kinsman,  Naomi  straightway  bethought  herself  of  a  plan  \^  f  2o°"o 
whereby  Boaz   might  be  led  to  promise  to  play  a  kins-  3  '•  18) 
man's  part  to  Ruth.     Her  plan  fell  out  happily.     Boaz 
337 


Ruth  3:11  The  Messages  of 

responded  with  willingness,  nay  with  joy,  for  the  noble- 
ness of  Ruth  had  won  his  affections.  With  high  hopes 
the  old  woman  awaited  the  issue  of  the  matter. 
She  becomes  But  there  was  a  kinsman  nearer  than  Boaz,  with  a  claim 
the°a?«s^™  P^ior  to  his.  So  Boaz  brought  the  case  before  a  council 
gess  of  Qf  elders  at  the  city  gate,  and  gave  his  rival  the  chance  of 
redeeming  Elimelech's  land.  The  latter,  however,  re- 
jected the  condition  attached  thereto — that  he  should 
marry  the  childless  Ruth.  So,  by  an  old  symbolic  rite,' 
he  abandoned  his  claim  in  favor  of  Boaz,  who  thereupon 
redeemed  the  land,  and  wedded  Ruth  amid  the  prayers  of 
the  people  that  through  her  Jehovah  would  build  up  his 
house,  as  the  houses  of  Israel  and  Judah  had  been  built 
up  in  the  olden  days.  And  so  it  was.  For,  to  the  joy  of 
the  aged  Naomi,  a  son  was  born  to  Ruth  from  whom,  in 
the  third  generation,  sprang  the  great  King  David.  Thus 
David  is  directly  descended  through  Boaz  from  Judah. 


IX 


THE   CHARACTER    AND   PURPOSE    OF   THE   BOOK   OF 

ESTHER 

If  Ruth  was  a  foil  to  Ezra,  Esther  is  a  foil  to  Ruth.  In 
the  interval  that  separates  the  two  books — Esther  comes 
probably  about  the  middle  of  the  second  century  B.  C. — 

1  Deut.  25  :  9. 


the  Historians  Esther 


magnanimity  has  passed  into  bitterness,  and  the  eyes  that 
once  looked  so  generously  on  the  things  of  others,  now 
look  narrowly  only  upon  their  own.  In  this  book  we  see 
the  culmination,  in  its  most  unlovely  form,  of  that  exclu- 
siveness  which  had  been  encouraged  by  the  legislation  of 
Ezra.  The  "  holy  seed  "  ^  is  hated  of  the  world,  but  it  is 
led  through  obloquy  and  malice  to  triumph,  a  cruel  and 
unholy  triumph. 

The  story  reads  more  like  romance  than  history.  It  was 
written  long  after  the  events  it  describes.  The  Persian 
empire  is  a  thing  of  the  past,^  long  enough  past  to  ob- 
scure to  the  writer  the  chronological  perspective  ;  for  the 
hero  of  the  story,  which  is  set  early  in  the  reign  of  Xerxes, 
and  therefore  must  be  somewhere  about  480  B.  C,  is  rep- 
resented as  having  been  carried  away  to  Babylon  in  597 
B.  C.  with  Jehoiachin.^  But  there  are  other  perplexities. 
The  king  who  sanctions  the  decree  for  the  extermination 
of  the  Jews  in  3  :  9- 11  is  ignorant  of  it  and  surprised  by 
it  in  7  :  5.  It  is  hard  to  say  what  the  underlying  basis  of 
fact  may  be,  but  the  temper  of  the  story  is  extremely  sig- 
nificant of  later  Jewish  feeling. 

The  book  probably  served  more  than  one  purpose.  It 
explains  the  origin  of  the  Purim  festival ;  ^  but  a  co-ordi- 
nate purpose  must  have  been  to  glorify  the  Jews,  and  to 
show  how  jealously  their  God  watched  over  their  interests 
and  led  them  to  victory.     It  is  a  shallow  criticism  which 

'  Ezr.  9:2.  *  I  :  I,  13,  3  2  :  5,  6.  *  9  :  19,  26. 

339 


Esther  The  Messages  of 

would  deny  this  religious  aspect  of  the  book — on  however 
low  a  plane  the  religion  may  be — on  the  ground  that  the 
divine  name  nowhere  occurs  in  it.  The  thought,  though 
not  the  word,  is  present  in  Mordecai's  confident  assurance 
that  enlargement  and  deliverance  would  arise  to  the  Jews 
from  one  place,  if  not  from  another,'  and  that  thought  de- 
termines the  whole  sequence  of  the  story.  A  note  of  the 
intensest  national  feeling  runs  through  the  book.  There 
the  unique  self-consciousness  of  the  Jews  finds  its  justifi- 
cation in  the  facts  of  history  and  in  the  mysterious  prov- 
idence which  brings  them  at  the  last  to  "  light  and  glad- 
ness and  joy  and  honor."  ^  The  world  hates  them  ;  they 
have  enemies,  not  one  ^  but  many.*  But  they  can  over- 
come the  world.  Esther  the  Jewess  is  better  than  Vashti," 
and  Mordecai  the  Jew,  like  Joseph  in  the  gray  past,  is  next 
the  king."  All  men  must  bow  to  Haman,  but  not  Mor- 
decai ;  he  bowed  not  nor  did  him  reverence.''  For  he 
represents  a  people  whom  no  man  could  withstand ; ' 
even  the  mighty  Haman  must  go  down  before  him.*  No 
royal  decree  can  ultimately  keep  the  Jews  out  of  the  do- 
minion which  is  their  destiny.'"  Was  it  any  wonder  then, 
that  the  fear  of  them  fell  upon  all  people  "  and  that "  many 
from  among  the  peoples  of  the  land  became  Jews  ?  "  ''' 
This  emphasis  on  the  uniqueness  of  Israel  is  nothing 

^  4  :  14.  '  8  :  16.  3  3  :  10.  ♦9:1. 

*  I  :  19.  •  10  :  3.  ''3:2.  89:2. 

•6:13.  i»9:i.  1' 8;  17,  9:2.  128:17. 


the  Historians  Esther  i  :'9 

new;  it  is  as  old  as  the  oracle  of  Balaam.^  What  is 
new — or  almost  new  '■* — and  disappointing  is  the  expression 
which  it  here  receives.  It  expresses  itself  in  needless 
cruelty '  and  in  massacre  apparently  unprovoked.  The 
sense  of  the  national  uniqueness  is  not  inspired,  as  it  often 
is  in  the  later  literature  of  the  Old  Testament,  by  the  solemn 
and  radiant  sense  of  a  mission.  It  is  a  solace  to  think 
that  this  book  won  its  place  in  the  Canon  only  after  a 
struggle.  And  yet  it  has  there  its  own  pathetic  place.  It 
sheds  a  very  sorrowful  light  upon  the  treatment  which 
the  Jews  had  received  at  the  hands  of  an  inappreciative 
and  relentless  world.  Bitter  indeed  must  have  been  the 
persecution  which  stung  the  generous  and  tender  hearts 
that  gave  us  Ruth,  into  the  bigotry,  passion,  and  ven- 
geance that  thrill  through  the  fascinating  story  of  Esther. 

X 

ISRAEL'S  TRIUMPH   OVER   ITS    FOES   (ESTHER) 

About  the  year  483  B.  C.,*  after  a  six  months'  festival  in  Xerxes  puts 
honor  of  the  princes  and  nobles  of  his  vast  empire,  Xerxes  qu^^\i') 
held  a  second  gorgeous  festival  for  the  people  in  his  palace 

*  Num.  23  :  9. 

'  In  Mai.  1 :  3  Jehovah's  love  for  Israel  is  held  to  be  proved  by  his  hatred 
for  Edom,  manifest  in  the  desolation  of  that  land. 
8  9  :  13-15- 

*  About  the  same  date  as  the  notice  in  Ezra  4  :  6. 


Esther  i  :  lo  The  Messages'  of 

at  Susa.  On  the  last  day,  he  bade  the  queen  appear  to 
display  her  beauty.  She  refused.  The  angry  king  con- 
sulted his  wise  men  ;  and,  on  the  advice  of  one  of  them 
he  put  her  away  by  a  royal  decree,  lest  the  example  of 
her  contumacy  should  prove  contagious,  and  sent  instruc- 
tions throughout  the  various  provinces  that  every  man  be 
master  in  his  own  house. 
He  takes  Steps  were  then  taken  to  find  a  better  queen  than  she. 

hlr^^s^ead ;  From  all  the  empire  fair  maidens  were  gathered  to  the 
Mordecai      palace   and    among    them    the    orphan    Esther,   cousin 

saves  the        *  ^  *^ 

king's  life  (2)  and  adopted  daughter  of  Mordecai.  The  king  loved  her 
above  all  the  other  maidens  and  made  her  queen  about 
479  B.  C.^  Not  long  thereafter  Mordecai  saved  the  king's 
life  by  communicating  to  him  through  Esther  a  plot  against 
him  ;  and  his  deed  was  put  on  record. 
Hainan's  Now  a  Certain  Haman,  promoted  by  the  king  above  all 

MoSecai;  the  Other  nobles,  conceived  a  deadly  hatred  of  the  Jew, 
JJj^gg^U,^g°^  Mordecai,  for  persistently  refusing  him  the  obeisance 
(3)  which  the  king  had  enjoined,  and  he  sought  to  gratify  his 

revenge  by  destroying  the  Jewish  people,  root  and  branch, 
throughout  the  empire.  By  representing  them  to  be  sedi- 
tiously inclined,  he  obtained  from  the  king  a  decree  for  their 
annihilation,  to  take  effect  in  eleven  months,  namely,  on  the 
thirteenth  day  of  the  twelfth  month,  a  date  fixed  by  lot.'' 

1  The  year  of  the  battles  of  Plataea  and  Mycale,  the  year  after  Ther- 
mopylae and  Salamis. 

2  I.e.y  Pur:  hence,  according  to  9  :  26,  the  name  of  the  festival  Purim. 


the  Historians  Esther  6  :  14 


The  decree  prostrated  the  Jews  with  grief.     Mordecai  Esther's 
contrived  to  inform  Esther  thereof,  and  charged  her  to  intercede 
implore  the  king  on  behalf  of  her  people.     Esther  knew  j^'^J^  ""^^ 
well  the  peril  of  such  a  course  ;  yet,  nerved  by  Mordecai's 
appeal,  she  bravely  made  up  her  mind  to  intercede  with 
the  king,  cost  what  it  might.     "  I  will  go,"  said  she,  "  and 
if  I  perish,  I  perish." 

The  king  received  her  graciously,  and  offered  to  grant  Her  ingeni- 
her  request  even  to  the  half  of  his  kingdom.     She  only  enthmluhe 
asked,  however,  that  the  king  and  Haman  would  come  '^"^s/s) 
next  day  to  a  banquet  prepared  by  herself.     There  the 
king  renewed  his  promise;  but  again  she  invited  them 
to  a  second  banquet.     Haman's  joy,  however,  was  still 
clouded  by  Mordecai's  refusal  of  obeisance.     On  his  wife's 
suggestion,  he  prepared  a  gallows,  hoping  to  secure  next 
day  a  royal  decree  for  his  execution. 

That  night  the  king,  to  while  away  the  sleepless  hours,  The  tables 
had  the  royal  records  read  to  him ;  and  finding  there  (J)  ^""^"^ 
mention  of  Mordecai's  unrewarded  service,  next  day  he 
asked  Haman,  who  had  come  in  the  hope  of  securing  the 
royal  warrant  for  Mordecai's  execution,  what  should  be 
done  to  the  man  whom  the  king  delighted  to  honor.  This, 
thought  Haman,  could  be  no  one  but  himself,  and  he  ac- 
cordingly suggested  the  most  extravagant  honors.  To 
his  horror,  he  found  that,  by  the  terms  of  his  own  propo- 
sal, he  must  himself  bestow  those  honors  on  the  hated 
Mordecai,  the  Jew ;  while,  to  complete  his  confusion,  his 

343 


Esther  7  :  i  The  Messages  of 

wife  foretold  his  certain  downfall,  if  Mordecai  were  really 
a  Jew. 
Haman  is         With  these  bodings  of  doom  in  his  ears,  he  came  with 
Rior^cTecar    the  king  to  Esther's  banquet.     In  response  to  the  king's 
XiT^^ot'.  2)  ^^^^^  o^^^'  ^h^  qu^e"  earnestly  begged  for  her  own  life, 
and   that  of  her  people,  imperilled   by  — Haman !     The 
guilty  man  trembled.     The  indignant  king,  adopting  the 
grim,  yet  timely  hint  of  one  of  his   courtiers,  had  him 
hanged  on  the  gallows  that  he  had  prepared   for  Mor- 
decai, and  Mordecai  was  installed   in  Haman 's  post  of 
honor. 
The  counter     Esther  now  set  herself  to  reverse,  if  possible,  the  pre- 

decree  •  ^  IT 

(8 : 3-17)  vious  decree  ordering  the  destruction  of  the  Jews ;  and 
the  king,  regarding  her  request  with  favor,  empowered 
Mordecai  to  issue,  with  all  speed,  a  decree  in  the  royal 
name,  granting  liberty  to  the  Jews  to  defend  themselves 
by  force  against  all  who  assaulted  them  on  the  day  ap- 
pointed. The  decree  was  received  by  the  Jews  with 
transports  of  delight ;  and  many  of  the  native  peoples  be- 
came proselytes,  for  the  fear  of  the  Jews  was  fallen  upon 
them. 

The  triumph     So  on  the  day  appointed  for  the  massacre,  as  it  fell 

of  the  Jews  ^    .^  i       t  ,  i     • 

(9 : 1-16)  out.  It  was  not  the  Jews,  but  their  enemies,  who  were  the 
victims  ;  for  they  were  irresistible.  The  prestige  of  Mor- 
decai even  secured  for  his  countrymen  official  assistance. 
The  Jews  worked  their  will  upon  their  foes.  In  the  palace 
alone,  they  slew  five  hundred,  including  the  ten  sons  of 
344 


the  Historians  Esther  lo :  3 

Haman,  and  at  the  request  of  Esther,  added  three  hun- 
dred more  the  following  day.  In  the  provinces,  where 
the  massacre  lasted  only  one  day,  seventy-five  thousand 
victims  fell. 

Such  then  is  the  origin  of  the  glad  Purim  festival,  held  The  Punm 
on  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  of  the  month  Adar,  to  keep  ("'^7-32) 
alive  the  memory  of  this  great  deliverance  in  every  Jewish 
or  proselyte  family  for  ever.     This  ordinance  was  con- 
firmed by  a  decree  of  Esther  and  Mordecai. 

It  is  recorded  in  the  royal  archives  of  Persia  how  Mor-  The  exaita- 
decai  in  his  high  office — he  was  second  only  to  the  king —  zeTl  Sf 
won  the  affection  of  his  Jewish  brethren  by  his  great  zeal  ^w-<i«cai 
on  their  behalf. 


345 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX 


BOOKS   OF   REFERENCE 


The  literature  in  English  on  the  historical  books  of  the  Old 
Testament  from  the  standpoint  of  modern  criticism  is  not  yet 
extensive,  but  it  is  rapidly  growing.  On  some  of  the  books 
there  is  as  yet  no  good  up-to-date  English  commentary.  The 
following  list  is  selected  with  a  view  to  the  needs  of  the  gen- 
eral reader,  and  avoids,  on  the  one  hand,  works  of  a  minutely 
technical  nature,  and  on  the  other,  foreign  books  which  have 
not  been  translated. 

Driver's  "  Introduction  to  the  Literature  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment "  (ninth  edition,  1901,  Charles  Scribner's  Sons)  is  a 
mine  of  information.  It  is  absolutely  reliable  in  its  details,  and 
cautious  in  its  methods,  and  forms  an  exceedingly  useful  guide 
to  the  critical  problems  connected  with  each  book.  Much 
smaller,  but  always  interesting  and  illuminating,  is  Kautzsch's 
"The  Literature  of  the  Old  Testament"  (translated  by  Dr. 
Taylor ;  published  by  Williams  &  Norgate,  1898,  and  by  Put- 
nams,  1899).  A  "Biblical  Introduction,"  by  Bennett  and 
Adeney  (Whittaker,  1899),  gives  a  clear  and  comprehensive 
presentation  of  the  facts  on  their  literary  side.     These  books 

349 


Appendix 

all  deal  with  the  whole  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  not  exclu- 
sively with  the  historical  books. 

For  a  long  time,  one  great  barrier  to  the  study  of  the  histories, 
from  which  the  present  Hexateuch  has  been  compiled,  was  the 
absence  of  continuous  texts.  That  barrier  has  now  been  re- 
moved. The  prophetical  and  priestly  texts  are  presented  con- 
tinuously in  Addis's  "Documents  of  the  Hexateuch  "  (vol.  i., 
1893;  vol.  ii.,  1898,  Putnams),  and  in  Bacon's  "Genesis  of 
Genesis,"  1892,  and  "The  Triple  Tradition  of  the  Exodus," 
1894 ;  while  the  prophetic  texts  alone  are  presented  in  Duff's 
"Old  Testament  Theology"  (vol.  i.,  1891  ;  vol.  ii.,  1900,  A. 
&  C.  Black). 

The  fullest  treatment  of  the  critical  problems  of  the  Hexa- 
teuch will  be  found  in  the  Oxford  publication.  The  Hexateuch, 
edited  by  Carpenter  and  Battersby  (2  vols.,  1900,  Longmans, 
Green  &  Co.),  which,  besides  printing  the  texts  in  the  order  of 
the  English  Bible,  and  relegating  each  section  to  its  source, 
discusses  clearly  and  very  fully  all  the  literary  problems. 
Briggs's  "  Higher  Criticism  of  the  Hexateuch  "  (second  edi- 
tion, 1897,  Charles  Scribner's  Sons)  is  less  elaborate,  but  thor- 
ough and  very  useful.  In  Addis's  volumes  mentioned  above, 
the  texts  are  preceded  by  critical  discussions,  and  Bacon's  two 
volumes  are  full  of  marvellously  delicate  and  powerful  critical 
work.  There  is  an  interesting  and  penetrating  treatment  of  the 
gradual  growth  of  the  historical  books  in  McCurdy's  "  His- 
tory, Prophecy,  and  the  Monuments"  (vols,  i.-iii.,  Macmillan 
&  Co.,  1894- 1 901).  For  a  brief,  but  very  adequate  presenta- 
tion of  the  Hexateuchal  problem  the  reader  may  be  referred  to 


Appendix 

W.  Robertson  Smith's  "  Old  Testament  in  the  Jewish  Church," 
Lecture  II.  (2d  revised  and  enlarged  edition,  1892,  D.  Appleton 
&  Co.),  or  to  the  article  "  Hexateuch,"  in  the  "Encyclopaedia 
Biblica  "  (Macmillan  &  Co.,  4  vols.),  or  in  the  "  Dictionary  of 
the  Bible,"  edited  by  Hastings  (4  vols.,  Charles  Scribner's 
Sons). 

For  the  spirit  in  which  the  earlier  chapters  of  Genesis  are  to 
be  read,  the  student  may  consult  Ryle's  "  Early  Narratives  of 
Genesis  "  (Macmillan  &  Co.,  1892),  and  for  Genesis  as  a  whole, 
Dods's  volume  in  "  The  Expositor's  Bible  "  (A.  C.  Armstrong 
&  Co.,  1888).  Much  help  may  also  be  found  in  Professor  G. 
A,  Smith's  "Modern  Criticism  and  the  Preaching  of  the  Old 
Testament  "  (A.  C.  Armstrong  &  Son,  1901),  and  from  Pro- 
fessor Davidson's  article  on  "  The  Uses  of  the  Old  Testament 
for  Edification,"  in  the  Expositor  iox  January,  1900. 

The  following  articles  in  the  two  Biblical  Dictionaries  al- 
ready mentioned  ("  Encyclopaedia  Biblica"  and  "Dictionary 
of  the  Bible  ")  may  be  consulted  with  much  advantage  :  Gen- 
esis, Exodus,  Numbers,  Deuteronomy,  Joshua,  Judges,  Kings, 
Chronicles,  Ezra,  and  Esther.  The  volumes  containing  articles 
on  the  remaining  books  may  be  expected  at  no  distant  date. 

Dillmann's  great  commentary  on  Genesis  (2  vols.,  translated 
by  Stevenson,  1897,  T.  &  T.  Clark,  and  Scribner's)  is  very 
elaborate  and  exhaustive.  Of  great  value  are  the  commentaries 
on  "Deuteronomy,"  1895,  "Judges,"  1895,  and  "Samuel," 
1899,  by  Driver,  Moore  and  H.  P.  Smith,  respectively,  in  the 
"International  Critical  Commentary  "  series  (Charles  Scribner's 
Sons).      For  the  reader  who  is  interested  in  the  question  of 


Appendix 

sources,  Bennett's  "Joshua,"  1899,  and  Moore's  "Judges," 
1898,  in  the  "  Sacred  Books  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  " 
series,  commonly  known  as  the  Polychrome  Bible  (edited  by 
Haupt,  published  with  English  translations,  Dodd,  Mead  & 
Co.),  will  be  found  of  great  service.  On  the  origin  of  the 
Books  of  Samuel,  Cheyne's  chapter  on  "  How  the  Books  of 
Samuel  Arose,"  in  "  Aids  to  the  Devout  Study  of  Criticism," 
1892  (Thomas  Whittaker),  may  be  consulted.  In  the  Cam- 
bridge Bible  series,  there  is  a  handy  commentary  on  "Sam- 
uel," 1886,  by  Kirkpatrick,  and  on  "  Kings,"  1889,  by  Lumby 
(Macmillan  &  Co.,  each  2  vols.);  the  commentary  on  "  Ezra- 
Nehemiah,"  in  this  series  by  Ryle  may  be  strongly  recom- 
mended. For  the  rearrangement  of  the  text  of  Ezra-Nehemiah, 
see  Professor  Kent's  "  History  of  the  Jewish  People,"  1899 
($$  88-98),  and  for  the  reconstruction  of  the  history  which 
this  involves,  the  same  volume  %%  1 14-21 1,  and  Cheyne's 
"Jewish  Religious  Life  after  the  Exile,"  1898,  chapters  i  and 
2  (G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons),  should  be  consulted.  Bennett's 
"Chronicles,"  1894,  in  the  Expositors'  Bible  series,  is  a  very 
useful  and  able  book  (Armstrongs).  An  appreciation  of  the 
religious  value  of  the  Book  of  Chronicles  will  be  found  in 
the  article  on  "  Chronicles,"  in  Hastings's  "Dictionary  of  the 
Bible." 


352 


Appendix 


II 

PASSAGES    IN     THE     BOOKS     OF     SAMUEL    AND 
KINGS   OMITTED   BY   THE   CHRONICLER 

The  story  of  the  career  of  Saul  and  of  the  life  of  David  be- 
fore his  accession  to  the  throne  (i  S.  9  to  30). 

The  opposition  of  Ishbosheth  to  David  (2  S.  2  to  4). 

The  taunt  of  Michal  (2  S.  6  :  10-23). 

The  threat  concerning  Solomon  (2  S.  7  :  14). 

David's  cruelty  to  Moab  (2  S.  8  :  2).» 

David's  kindness  to  the  son  of  Jonathan  (2  S.  9). 

David's  sin  with  Bathsheba  and  its  punishment  (2  S.  II  :  2 
to  12  :  25). 

Joab's  loyal  act  of  abnegation  (2  S.  12  :  27-29). 

The  violation  of  Tamar  (2  S.  13  :  1-22). 

The  murder  of  Amnon  by  Absalom  (2  S.  13  :  23-37). 

The  rebellion  of  Absalom  (2  S.  13  :  38  to  15  :  12). 

The  flight  and  return  of  David  (2  S.  15  :  13  to  19  :  40). 

The  rupture  between  Judah  and  Israel  (2  S.  19 :  41  to  20 :  22). 

The  famine  stayed  because  of  the  vengeance  taken  upon  the 
descendants  of  Saul  (2  S.  21  :  1-14). 

Intrigues  for  the  succession  of  Solomon  to  the  throne  (i  K.  i). 

Solomon's  stern  measures  for  peace  (i  K.  2). 

Anecdotes  illustrating  Solomon's  judicial  wisdom,  the  organi- 
zation of  his  kingdom,  his  proverbs  and  songs  (i  K.  3:  16  to 
4:  34)- 

1  But  compare  1  Chr.  20 :  3,  which  retains  a  similar  reference. 

353 


Appendix 

His  benediction  at  the  dedication  of  the  temple  (i  K.  8  :  54- 
61). 

His  many  wives  and  his  idolatry  (i  iC.  11  :  1-8). 

The   rebellions   of    Hadad,    Rezon,    and   Jeroboam    (i    K. 

11  :  9-40). 

Jeroboam's  calf-worship  and  the  doom  pronounced  upon  it, 
on  Jeroboam's  house,    and  on   the  northern  kingdom  (i   K. 

12  :  25  to  14:  20). 

Abijah  spared  by  Jehovah  for  David's  sake  (i  K.  15  :  3-5). 

Asa's  intolerance  of  immoral  worship  (i  K.  15:  12). 

The  reigns  of  Nadab,  Baasha,  Elah,  Zimri,  Omri,  and  Ahab 
(I  K.15:  25  to  16:34). 

The  story  of  the  Prophet  Elijah  (i  K.  17  to  21  :  29). 

The  reigns  of  Ahaziah  and  Joram  of  Israel  with  stories  of  Eli- 
jah and  EHsha  (i  K,  22  :  51  to  2  K.  8  :  15  ;    13  :  14-20). 

The  rebellion  and  reign  of  Jehu  (2  K,  9,  10). 

The  reigns  of  Jehoahaz  and  Joash  of  Israel  (2  K.  13). 

The  reign  of  Jeroboam  II.  of  Israel  (2  K.  14:  23-29). 

The  reigns  of  Zechariah,  Shallum,  Menahem,  Pekahiah,  and 
Pekah  of  Israel  (2  K.  15  :  8-31). 

The  reign  of  Hosea  and  story  of  the  fall  of  the  northern 
kingdom  (2  K.  17). 

The  tribute  from  the  temple  treasures  paid  by  Hezekiah  to 
Sennacherib  (2  K.  18  :  15,  16). 

The  threat  by  prophets  of  Jerusalem's  overthrow  (2  K. 
21  :  11-16). 

The  purification  by  Josiah  of  Judah  and  Samaria  (2  K. 
23  :  4-20). 

354 


Appendix 

Jehoiakim's  tax  (2  K.  23  :  35). 

The  invaders  sent  by  Jehovah  against  Jehoiakim,  and  the 
reason  (2  K.  24:  2-4). 

The  first  captivity  to  Babylon  (2  K.  24:  10-16). 

The  capture  and  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the  temple 
(2K.  25:  1-21). 

Gedaliah's  appointment  as  governor  and  his  murder  (2  K. 
25  :  22-26). 

The  pardon  of  Jehoiachim  (2  K.  25  :  27-30). 


355 


INDEX  OF  BIBLICAL  PASSAGES 


INDEX    OF    BIBLICAL   PASSAGES 


GENESIS 


CHAPTERS 


PAGES 


I :  I  to  2  :  4* 249 

2:  4i>t0  4:  24 32-35 

5  :  1-28 249 

5  :  29 35 

5  :  30-32 249-250 

6:  1-8 35-36 

6  :  g-22 250 

7  and  8 36,  250 

9  :  1-17 250 

9 :  18-27 36-37 

9  :  28-29 250 

10:1-7  251 

10  :  8-19 37 

10  :  20,  22-24 251 

10  :  21,  25-30 37 

10:  31-32 251 

11  :  1-9 37 

II  :  10-27 251 

II  :  28-30 38 

II  :  31-32 251 

I2andi3 38-39,  251 

14 251 

IS 39-40 

16 40,  251 

17 251,  252 

18  and  19 40-41,  252 


-7 41,  252 

to  22  :  24 41-42 


23 252 

24 42 

25  :  1-6,  lib,  18 42,  43 

25  :  7-11%  12-17,  i9>  20  :  26''. .252-253 

25  :  21  to  26  :  33 43 

26:  34-35 253 

27 43-44,  253 


CHAPTERS  PAGES 

28  :  1-9 253 

28  :  10  to  31  :  55 44-46,  253 

32  and  33 46-47 

34 47.  253 

35  :  1-8 47-48 

35  :  9-15 253 

35  :  l6-22a 48 

35  :  22b-29 253-254 

36  :  I  to  37  :  2* 254 

37  :  2^-36 48 

38 (note  3)  48 

39  :  I  to  46  :  5 48-51.  254 

46  :  6-27 254 

46  :  28-34 51 

47  :  1-6 51.  254 

47  :  7-11 254 

47  :  12-28 51.  254 

47  :  29  to  48  :  2,  8-22 51-52 

48:  3-7 254-255 

49  :  I,  28b-33 255 

50 52,  255 


EXODUS 


I  :  1-5-  7. 
I  :  6-12. . 

1  :  15  to  2 

2  :  23^-25 

3  :  I  to  4  :  23 

4  :  24-26 
4 
6 
7 


13.  14- 


23a 


9:8. 


255 

59 

59-60 

25s 

60-61 

. .  (note  i)  60 

27  to  6  :  1 61,  62 

2  to  7  :  13 255-256 

14-25 62,  256 

1-15 62,  256 

16-19 256 

20  to  9  :  7 62-63 

12 256-257 


359 


Index  of  Biblical  Passages 


CHAPTERS  PAGES 

9  :  13  to  II  :  8 63-64 

11  :  9  to  12  :  20 257 

12:29-39 64 

12  :  40  to  13  :  2 257 

13  :  17  to  IS  ;  21 64-65,  257-258 

15  :  22  to  16  :  36 65,  258 

17 65,  258 


19 65-66,  258 

20  :  1-21 66-67 

1-2,  9-1 1 (note  I )  66 

3-8,  12-14 67 

iSi'-iSa 259 

I  to  31  :  18a 259-260 

iSb 67 

I  to  34  :  9 67-68,  261 

29  to  40  :  38 261 


NUMBERS 


I  :  I  to  5  :  4 261-262 

6  :  22-27 262 

7  (note)  261 

9  :  15  to  10  :  28 263 

10  :29  to  12  :  16 69-71 

13  and  14 71-72,263 

16 72,  264 


17- 


.264 


3  73.  264 

20  :  14-21 73 

20  :  22-29  265 

21  :  1-3 (note  2)  72 

21  ^4-35 73-74.  265 

22  :  I    265 

22  :  2  to  25  :  5 74-75 

25  :  6  to  26  :  65 265-266 

27  :  12-23 266-267 

31 (note)  265-266 

32 75-76,  267 

33  to  35 267-268 

DEUTERONOMY 

I  :  I  to  4  :  40 101-104,  268 

27  :  5-13 104 

29  :  I  to  31  :  29 104-105 


36 


CHAPTERS  PAGES 

32  :  45-47 105 

32  :  48-52 268 

34 106,  268 

JOSHUA 

1  :  I  to  5  :  9 110-112,  268 

5  :  10-12 268 

5  :  13  to  6  :  21 113 

7 113-114,  268 

8  :  1-29 114 

8  :  30-35 116-117 

9 114-115,  268-269 

10  to  12 115-116 

13  :  i-H "7 

13  :  15  to  14  :  5 269 

14  :  6-15 117 

15  to  19  118-119,269 

20  :  I  to  21  :  42 269 

21  :  43  to  22  :  8 119 

22  :  9-34 270 

23  and  24 119-121 

JUDGES 

1 118 

2:1-5 126 

2  :  6  to  3  :  30 121,  126-127 

3  :  3» 122 

4  to  9 128-132 

10  :  1-5 122 

10  :  6-i6 (note  i)  127 

10  :  17  to  12  :  7 132-133 

12  :  8-15 122-123 

13*016     133-135 

17  and  18 .136-137 

19  to  21 137-138 

RUTH 
1  to  4 336-338 

FIRST  SAMUEL 

1  ••    143 

2  :  12  to  4  :  i« 143-145 

4  :  i«>t07  :  17..... 145-147 

O 


Index  of  Biblical  Passages 


CHAPTERS 


PAGES 


8 I47-I4« 

9  to  12 147-150 

13  :  1-7* 150 

13  :  7t>-i5» (notes)  151 

13  :  isb  to  14  :  52 150-154 

15 150-153 

16  :  1-13 153 

16  :  14-23 154 

17  and  18 153-155 

19:  1-7 155-156 

19  :  8-10 157 

19  :  11-17 155 

19  :  18-24 157 

20 (note  1)  156-157 

21  :  1-9  155 

21  :  10-15  158 

22  :  1-2 156 

22  :  3-5 158 

22  :  6  to  23  :  29 156-157 

24 158-159 


157-159 
'59 


27  to  29 159-160 

30  and  31 160-161 


SECOND   SAMUEL 

1  :  1-18 

2  :  1-42  

2  :  4**-7 

2  :  8  to  3  :  I .  162- 

3  :  2-5 164- 

3  :  6  to  4  :  12 163- 

5  and  6 164- 

7 166- 


9  and  10 

II  :  I  to  20  :  22. 

20  :  23-26 

21  to  24 


167- 

(note) 

.(note)  173- 


FIRST  KINGS 
and  2 174- 


and  4. 


76 
85-186 


CHAPTERS  PAGES 

5  and  6 186-187 

7  :  1-12 190 

7  :  13  to  9  :  9 187-189 

9  .  10 190 

9  :  11-14 186 

9  :  15  to  II  :  28 190-191 

11  =29-39 192 

11  :  40-43 191 

12  to  16 192-197 

1 7  to  19  201-203 

20 204-205 

21 203-204 

22  :  1-40 205-206 

22  :  41-50 212 

22  :  51-53 206 

SECOND  KINGS 

1:1 (note  2)  207 

I  :  2  to  4  :  37 206-209 

4:  38-44 209 

5 209-210 

6:1-7 209 

6  :  8  to  7  :  20 aio-211 

8  :  1-6.  209 

8  :  7-15 2 1 1-2 12 

8  :  16-27 213 

8  :  28-29 (note  1)  214 

9  to  12 213-217 

13  :  1-13 217-218 

13:14-21 212 

13  :  22  to  15  :  28 217-221 

15  :  29 222 

15  :  30  to  16  :  5 221-222 

16  :  6 219 

16  :  7  to  17  :  6 222-223 

17  :  7  to  18  :  8 223-225 

18  :  9-12 223 

18  :  13  to  20  :  21 225-228 

21  to  25.  229-235 


FIRST  CHRONICLES 

I  to  10 287-289 

II  to  29 289-294 


361 


hidex  of  Biblical  Passages 


SECOND  CHRONICLES 

CHAPTERS  PAGES 

I  to  9 294-297 

10  to  36 297-313 

EZRA 

1 321 

2 (note)  327 

3 321-322 

4  :  i-S ••322 

4:6-23 326-327 

4  :  24 322 

5  : 1  to  6 :  22 322-323 

7to8 329-331 


CHAPTERS  PAGES 

9  to  10  :  9 332-333 

ID  :  10-44 333 

NEHEMIAH 

I  to  6 323-326 

7  :  1-69 327 

7  :  70  to  8  :  18 33^-332 

9  to  10 333-334 

II  to  12 327-328 

13  :  1-3 333 

^3  :  4-31 328-329 

ESTHER 
I  to  10 341-345 


362 


Date  Due 

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